Blind
by Lauralithia2
Summary: Sarah Williams had plans. She was going to see the world-experience new cultures and get a glimpse of the every day lives of strangers. But a terrible accident befalls her, forever crippling that dream. Concerned for the woman he once fell in love with, can Jareth bring her new dreams to look forward to? J/S pairing.
1. Chapter One: Blind

A/N: The idea for this came to me while reading another story, and I just had to write it down. I hope you enjoy it. :)

Update: You'll notice—if you have this story set to your 'alerts'—that the chapter has changed. Someone mentioned in a review that the original first chapter went too fast, so I've broken it up into two parts. I'll probably be done with, and post, the second chapter after I've finished with this one. Thank you to those that reviewed, and thank you to those just reading. Both mean a lot to me! :) You're all awesome! ;)

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Blind

Chapter 1: Blind

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The sound of running shoes slapping the pavement echoed down a quiet suburban street. A woman with jet-black hair jogged down the road. Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail, and made a slight 'swish-swish'ing sound as it swayed left and right across the back of her shoulders. Out of its ponytail, her hair reached easily to her hips. She had dazzling green eyes that were full of life and fire. They watched the asphalt before her, and her feet matched the music playing through her headphones. The beat was steady, and the music loud enough to drown out any surrounding noise.

As she turned a corner, the volume suddenly lowered, and her iphone chirped the time at her. Jogging in place so as to keep her heart rate up, she pulled it from her pocket. Six forty-five, read her alarm. She had to be at work by eight. If she wanted to be ready in time, she'd have to turn back now. Looking up at the sky, the woman sighed. She had wanted to see the sunrise; but would have to miss it now. Heading back the way she came, her phone chirped again. She answered it, holding the phone up in front of her but leaving the earbuds in.

"Sarah?" A female voice spoke, and after Sarah responded, the voice continued. "Hey this is Camille-" Sarah's eyebrows rose as some background noise where Camille was became quite loud, and then abruptly died down again, Camille's voice rising. "Look, I just got in, and it looks like a pipe burst and has soaked everything. I've got a plumber here, but we probably won't be open for the rest of the week—" Sarah paused to take her headphones out and held her phone up to her ear, and Camille continued in dismay. "—or two. I'm sorry, but it looks like you're getting an impromptu vacation!"

Sarah was certainly surprised and concerned, but she also felt a bit relieved. She'd been saving up some vacation time and money for a visit to her family, but had been too busy to really sit down and figure out when to go. "Ok, well do you need any help down there? It sounds pretty bad..." Sarah questioned. Camille replied a moment later, "No, I think we'll be fine. You've got a big chunk of vacation time, don't you? Why don't you go ahead and use it to see your family?" Before Sarah could reply, Camille spoke again, "Look, I gotta go. You have fun, ok? I'll see you next week!" And she hung up.

Sarah stared at the phone for a moment, and a wide grin spread across her face. A whole week off! Granted—at the expense of her office building's piping mishap-but a week off! Her grin set up camp there as she put her headphones in and switched the music back on. Stretching briefly, Sarah turned around and continued her jog with a much lighter step. Now she would get to see that sunrise! Breathing the fresh air in deeply, the dark haired jogger looked up as she rounded a corner and gasped in delight.

The sun had risen, and its rays were casting a red haze through the sky. Here and there, small cotton ball clouds floated dreamily across the sky. 'Red sky in morning, sailors take warning.' She thought to herself. It was something her grandfather used to say whenever there was a red sunrise. He'd say it meant a storm was coming. But whether a prelude to a storm or not—it was very beautiful. She smiled in contentment and stepped down onto the street to cross it and head toward the nearby park.

Sarah was so distracted by the sunrise, that she missed the large truck coming quickly up the street. It honked its horn rapidly, but her music blocked it out. The brakes squealed with a high-pitched shriek. Too late, Sarah saw it, and screamed in terror. There was pain—and then there was darkness.

* * *

Sarah woke up a day later with a pounding headache and the whole right side of her body in excruciating pain. The nurse had rushed in when Sarah's father called for her. They reassured Sarah she was safe, and stopped her from pulling the bandages off of her head and from around her eyes in a panic. Karen—Sarah's step mother—had stayed home with Toby that day, but was on her way up now that Sarah was awake. The nurse adjusted Sarah's pain killers in the IV drip, and the injured woman slowly relaxed. The nurse then left to get the doctor, and both came back shortly after. Sarah's arm and leg weren't broken, and her ribs were just bruised, the doctor was saying. He spoke further, "You were very lucky, Ms. Williams, that the truck driver put on the brakes when he did."

Sarah didn't feel particularly lucky at that moment. The doctor hesitated, and Sarah's stomach sank. Something else was wrong. Something bad. And then he said those words; condemning her.

"I'm very sorry to tell you this, Miss Williams." He paused, and she heard his shoes squeak on the linoleum floor as he shifted from one foot to the other in discomfort. Her stomach sank lower in dread, and she felt a large measure of fear when he hesitated. "It appears your eyes were badly damaged in the accident. I'm very sorry, but you've lost your eyesight entirely-and it's unlikely that you will ever regain it."

It seemed to Sarah that an anchor had been dropped into her stomach, and her body went cold. She heard the heart monitor working itself up into a violently crowded mountain range. 'Blind?' She thought. Her bed jiggled slightly when her father stood from the hospital seat beside her in anger, arguing with the doctor even as he softly squeezed Sarah's hand, trying to comfort and calm her.

But she couldn't hear them; she was far and away and thinking of the future. There were things she'd never get to see; would never completely enjoy. She'd had plans—plans to visit places like England, France, Japan, and Italy... All of which were now impossibilities for her to fully experience, now. So many places she had been saving up money to visit—now wasted. Her dreams were shattered.

And there was nothing anyone could do to change that.

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A/N: Stay tuned! Next chapter to follow shortly. (Or in the next day or so.)

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Labyrinth is copyright The Jim Henson Co.!


	2. Chapter Two: The Choice of the King

A/N: Chapter Two! A more in depth perspective of the goblin king.

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Blind

Chapter Two: The Choice of the King

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A man with wild feathery hair, paced back and forth before a throne. He paused in his pacing, and the crescent pendant he wore swung back and forth before settling at last against his pale chest. He had on a brown leather jacket, and beneath it, a white poets shirt that fluttered in the wind his pacing had caused. The man's long legs flexed beneath white leggings; and his brown leather heeled boots shifted anxiously. He looked at the large thirteen-hour clock on the wall behind his throne, and frowned, his brown-gloved hands clenching into fists, and then unclenching, before again returning to fists. "Jareth, you are an absolute fool!" He growled quietly, his English accent clipped in annoyance at himself. He sighed and began pacing once again.

The man only made it a few more rounds before he growled in frustration and stopped, making a flourishing motion with his hand before him. He felt the magic gathering at his fingertips, where it quickly formed into a clear crystal orb. The man turned it impatiently, and peered inside at a dark haired woman lying in a hospital bed. She didn't look good. Her head and eyes were covered with bandages, and her right arm and leg were in thick braces; a doctor fluttered around her as if confirming what Jareth's eyes had already observed. "Sarah..." He whispered, his eyes showing a flash of concern. Raucous laughter around him quickly snuffed out that concern-to be replaced suddenly by anger.

" _Quiet!_ " He snarled, clutching the crystal in his fist as he glared around at the little creatures that littered his throne room. He had been able to tune them out, until their usual noise level had suddenly increased. Jareth glared as goblins throughout the room went silent instantaneously. A large party of their dirty, mismatched, armored little bodies, had been fitting various clothing onto a black chicken. Somehow they'd successfully squeezed the animal into a baby bonnet and jumper. The poor creature struggled to walk—or rather make a run for it—when one of the goblins tried to give it a pacifier. The chicken had pecked his hand hard, and the goblin yowled in pain.

The goblins had then burst into laughter and jeering at their injured comrade, who then tried to catch the chicken. Instead, the animal pecked the goblin's nose, and set the group to laughing even harder. Jareth interrupted their poultry antagonizing, and the creatures went silent. All save the chicken—whom successfully wriggled through their legs and made a mad dash for the nearest exit. Two goblins chased after it, and the three vanished through a doorway, their shouts and squawking heard fading away. Jareth raised his eyes to the ceiling in silent exasperation. "Er—" The smallest of the goblins—and apparently one of the brightest, called. "Sorry Kingy!" And the others around him echoed his words at varying volumes. Jareth sighed and fought down the desire to rub his temples in an attempt to lessen the headache settling in between them. "Goodness sake!" He groused.

He pinched the bridge of his nose instead and that seemed to help a little. Then he lifted the crystal to peer through it again. He frowned and his blue and brown eyes, respectfully, narrowed. What was the doctor saying? Jareth stared hard at the crystal, but he couldn't make out what the medical man was telling Sarah's crying family. After a moment longer, Jareth spun the crystal in his hand impatiently, and flicked it away. It vanished immediately after it left his hand, and the King of the Goblins sat down in his throne to think.

But the goblins began again to grow rowdy, and Jareth clenched his teeth in irritation. Without a word, he stood up, and the king strode past the goblins and out through the throne room doors. The two burly guards outside the doors straightened and saluted, but Jareth barely spared them a glance. His mind was moving ahead of him, making and breaking plans. He'd go to his private study and there figure out what needed to be done. He wished—he snorted at the irony of his own words—that he could do something. But even if he were able to aid Sarah, it was highly unlikely that she'd accept his help. If he wanted to assist her, it'd have to be in a subtle way—in a way where she wouldn't suspect. She'd experienced magic enough that even blind, she might recognize the feel of it; so that was out. So what could he do?

He turned up a hallway and once he'd reached his study, magically locked himself inside, and then turned to the wall across the room. There beside the window, hung a round mirror that was roughly two feet in diameter. It was made up of wrought iron vines that were braided and twisted round its edges; and at the top sat the large—and rather grotesque—face of a woman, set into a sheet of iron at the top of the mirror. Her beady eyes peered down at him, and her wide lips already unhappily curved down at the corners, furthered their downward trajectory.

The already unhappy face became serious at the king's expression. "What can I show you, My King?" She asked, and Jareth held up the crystal before her. She peered at it, hummed as a response, then two strands of the braided wrought iron bars—one from either side of the mirror—untwisted and slowly stretched down to fold and wrap around each other and form a sort of pocket up over the mirror's surface; looking like half of a woven basket. Jareth stretched out his hand and placed the crystal there. "Sound, too?" She asked and he nodded impatiently. Seeing his agitation, she got to work and closed her eyes. The crystal glowed faintly, and the images of the crystal swirled like mist, rising up to the top of the crystal. The surface of the mirror then rippled upward from the bottom to the upper half of the mirror; the image from the crystal rippling and at last settling there.

Once the ripples cleared away from the mirror, the iron woman sighed and opened her mouth wide. The sound for what Jareth had been viewing gradually came from the mirror woman's mouth like a speaker. It initially came in a little wobbly; but quickly resolved itself. The doctor was speaking. "—Your best option is to rest for now. As you heal, we'll start you in on physical therapy for your arm and leg." The doctor said. He paused, before continuing with less certainty. Poor Sarah's hands were clasped together tightly; her knuckles pale. The part of her face that was visible was as white as the sheets of her hospital bed. "I'll see if I can find an ophthalmologist nearby that can have a look at your eyes—but honestly I doubt any more can be done." He said, and he really looked like he believed it. Jareth bristled. What a doctor!

"Heavily endowed with bed side manner, that one is." Snorted the face above the mirror. She said it just as Sarah's father started to speak to the doctor and Jareth glared at her. "If you would kindly _do your job_..." She ducked her head a little guiltily and opened her mouth again, and Jareth turned his eyes to the scene unfolding before him once more. The father was still speaking to the doctor. "—re's really _nothing_ _more_ you can do?" He demanded; his jaw flexed as his teeth clenched together. One of his hands was holding onto Sarah's, while the other was fisted at his side and he looked really quite angry.

The doctor turned defensive and frowned a little at the other man. "I'm sorry—I wish I could tell you differently." He gestured at the nurse be his side, "She will walk you through what to expect over the following months. Please excuse me, I've another patient waiting." That said, the doctor nodded curtly at the other man and left the room. Sarah's father made angrily to follow, but Sarah lurched forward with a cry and gripped his hand tightly with both of hers, and her heart monitor went crazy. "Don't leave me!" Her throat constricted painfully and he immediately stopped, his brow wrinkled in agony and fury at his daughter's terrified cry. Her voice cracked, "Please—Daddy, don't leave me!" She sniffed, and a sob escaped her. The man went quickly to his daughter's side, and wrapped his arms around her, his eyes tearing up as he pressed his lips to the top of her head. "It'll be alright, Sarah. You'll make it through this." And though his words were reassuring; his eyes were worried and his heart was aching.

Jareth didn't know it, but his own expression was identical to that of her father—and the king's resolve to do something to help the woman he loved was set in stone. After a moment of pondering this, he looked to the mirror and waved his hand. The crystal popped like a bubble and the mirror rippled again and cleared to reflect his face and the study behind him. He would help—in any way that he could. He just had to figure out how. How in the Underground was he going to help a woman—a whole world away?

Just before Jareth turned away from the mirror, and as it was untwining and folding its tendrils of iron back up into place, the face above it implored him. "Wait! Please, Your Majesty, I'm in here all day, every day—can't I be somewhere where I can talk to someone? It gets terribly lonely in here by myself." Jareth stared at her a moment in surprise. The face looked so pathetic, that Jareth paused, and actually contemplated the request. "Did you have somewhere in mind?" He asked. The mirror gaped at him briefly—not quite believing that he had agreed to it. He raised his eyebrows, prompting her to respond, and she hurriedly spoke. "Anywhere—so long as I'm not alone—I want to be with people. _A lot of people_."

Jareth folded his arms and tapped a gloved digit on his lips, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully at the mirror. "I suppose I could manage something… You're certain you want to be around a _lot_ of people?" He questioned, and the mirror nodded. Finally he settled on the throne room; deciding privately that if she changed her mind about it—and she would change her mind about it—then he could offer to return her here or somewhere else if he discovered a better location.

He came back to the present to see the mirror anxiously awaiting his answer, and he smiled a little at her, one corner of his mouth turning up. "I know just the place. Shall I send you there now?" He asked, and the mirror nodded enthusiastically in gratitude—but then had to stop to avoid shaking herself off of the wall. "Yes please!" Jareth said, "Very well." Then he bounced the crystal off of his hand at her, and as soon as it touched the mirror's surface, the crystal popped like a bubble, but the mirror vanished.

He gave her an hour, tops, before she'd ask to be removed.

His smile faded and he went to his desk as his thoughts turned back to Sarah. Standing there a moment, the goblin king thought about how he could help her. Grimacing, he turned to the bookcase beside his desk and plucked several books down from where they rested, settled into his chair, and began pouring over them in hopes of discovering a way to get to the Aboveground. There had to be something he could do—some way that he could aid and bring comfort to her—but how?

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A/N: There's chapter two—hopefully it lived up to your expectations. Not sure if the mirror should have had such a long-ish part in the chapter. I actually shortened it a bunch because I was afraid it'd take away from Sarah and Jareth's dilemmas. But what do you think? Yea or nay?

Disclaimer: Don't own it.


	3. Chapter Three: The Williams Familiy

A/N: Alright, this chapter is a bit about Jareth, but mostly about Sarah's family and the lady herself, and their reactions to Sarah's accident. Enjoy!

Also a big thank you to Labyrinthlover30 for your helpful comments and critiques-I appreciate it so much! :)

Disclaimer: Honestly; a job with the Jim Henson Company would be a dream come true. Or even just to hang out in the Jim Henson Co. studio for five minutes. Or seconds. I'm flexible like that. Anyway, that'd be so great. *Wistfully sighs* Aw well... On with the story! ;)

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Blind

Chapter 3: The King's Gift, and The Williams Family

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"What about these ones? They're pretty!"

Suggested the mirror to a pensive Jareth, who slowly shook his head in the negative. "They are-but not part of the message-and more importantly, not what she would want." He waved his hand before the mirror and the image changed to reveal something else.

"Those are nice! If you use the white ones, I think the message will be complete." Called a voice from across the room in suggestion. Jareth glanced over at it and then studied the image on the mirror once more, tilting his head to one side thoughtfully.

"Yes, I think so, Tick-Tock. Thank you."

'Tick-Tock' was an old dark wooden cuckoo clock. He had three cast iron pendulums instead of two. They hung down from the base, each one lower than the last. On two of the pendulums, there was a different metal medallion of a small goblin's head. The third-and lowest pendulum-was a metal medallion of a black chicken. The medallions and pendulums themselves had been flattened until they were nearly paper thin; making it possible for all three to move freely without fear of bumping into each other. The clock's face was a dirty ivory color and the black cast iron hands were all crooked and zig-zagged wildly before actually pointing at the correct time. The frame of the face itself was wobbly looking, curving in and out and looking elegant in comparison to its haphazard hands. Sitting beneath the face was a pair of black, paper thin, cast iron arched double doors which were now opened.

Tick-Tock's pendulums ticked and tocked a rhythm in a pleased way, and his voice resounded from inside the opened doors. "Anything for the King, Your Majesty."

The mirror shot Tick-Tock a dirty look, but the clock was far too pleased with himself to care what she thought. "There. That should do it. I'll add a few things and send it on its way." Jareth said, and made a few more gestures. Then with a wave of his hand the image cleared, sending whatever it was away to its destination.

The mirror asked, "Does this mean that you've figured out a method? Are you going to go?" Jareth looked at the mirror's worried face in amusement. She was afraid of another day with the goblins. Tick-Tock was safe and sound high above any goblin's reach-but Mirra the mirror-at her place lower on the wall, was very much amongst the rowdy creatures.

"My dear Mirra, will you miss me terribly?" He teased her coyly, and if the mirror could blush, her cheeks would've been redder than a ripe tomato. As it was, the metal of her cheeks only darkened a few shades-which was impressive; considering she was cast iron. Jareth chuckled, then turned serious. "In answer to both of your questions: yes I have, and yes I am."

He could tell that she was bordering on asking him to remove her, but that she hadn't yet worked up the courage to do so. Jareth had been waiting for her to ask-he wasn't going to suggest it, though. She had to make the choice herself. But it didn't appear that today was that day. So Jareth said, "If either of you need anything you may call me-but only if it's very important. I don't want to be called back here because the goblins smeared raspberry jam on someone's frame or pendulums. Unless you're in true physical danger, you're not to call. Am I understood?" He said firmly, and the two hurriedly replied.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Jareth folded his arms and tilted his head up a bit with a sigh, closing his eyes. The day had hardly begun, and already he felt exhausted. "Good," He said at length; rubbed his face with one pale hand, and excused himself from the room.

The king then made his way to his chambers to prepare. A great many things needed to be planned-this was going to be an interesting venture.

* * *

Robert Williams-father to both Sarah and Toby, and husband to Karen Williams-was sitting at his desk at the law firm where he worked, when he got the call. It was the most terrifying call he'd ever received in his life. His little girl, his Sarah, had been in a terrible accident and he was needed right away. Immediately after the call, he'd called his wife and informed her of what had happened. Informed her that Sarah had been hit by a truck and was in the hospital, and Karen had been as horrified as he was. He was comforted with the knowledge that Karen cared a great deal for Sarah.

But Sarah and Karen's relationship hadn't always been as pleasant as it was now. When Sarah was fifteen, she and Karen had not gotten along at all. But then it seemed almost over night that Sarah's attitude had changed and she opened up to her stepmother. It was still a gradual process, but it shocked both of the adults when Sarah greeted them when they returned from their date one night, asking how it went and if they enjoyed themselves. His daughter also made a great many friends that year, and even had a few dates that preceded a few-to her father's sudden dismay-boyfriends. None had lasted very long, though. When asked about it, Sarah would say that they weren't mature enough and only wanted one thing; and she wasn't going to give that away to just anyone. It had to be the one she chose to marry.

This was music to her poor father's ears.

Shortly after high school, Sarah had moved halfway across the country to further her education and get a job. He and Karen both had been proud and happy for her, but they also missed her. She visited at holidays, but was growing increasingly busier, it seemed, by the day. And when she finished school and started to work full time for an advertising agency, it was even more rare for them to see her at all. So Sarah instead got into the habit of calling them whenever she could. She kept them updated on her life, and they kept her updated with theirs.

How Toby was growing up into an intelligent young man, how Karen had begun a popular book club, and how Robert had been promoted to a high position at his office. She'd been happy for them, but Robert could tell that hearing how they were all doing made her miss them all the more.

The man was pulled back from his thoughts by his wife's worried voice over the phone. "Robert? Hello? Are you going to fly over and see her?"

Robert shook himself out of his thoughts and rubbed his face with his hand at the growing headache building up from a foundation of anxiety. "Yes, and once she's able to, I'll fly back here with her to our hospital so we're nearer to her."

* * *

Karen Williams had just finished her book club meeting for the week, when her husband had called. Precariously balancing a tray of tea cups and the remnants of tiny sandwiches and desserts, Karen had a bit of trouble managing it through the two-way swinging door leading into the kitchen. The phone rang just as she was almost through it and she nearly dropped the tray entirely. "Oh!" She huffed, and hurried as fast as she dared to the sink to set the tray beside it, before snatching the phone's receiver up from off of its cradle on the counter.

"Hello!" She said breathlessly, and then her husband's voice croaked and Karen stood still in alarm.

"Karen, something's happened to Sarah."

Karen felt herself go cold. Sarah? Karen promptly made a consciously careful beeline for one of the counter's cushioned barstools, taking the phone cradle with her. "What's happened to Sarah?" She gasped.

Robert took a deep breath and began to explain. "She was crossing the street while out for a morning jog, when a truck driver coming up the street didn't see her in time to stop, and ran into her. She'd had her headphones in and hadn't heard him when he honked. The trucker stayed with her until the ambulance arrived. I can't express how grateful I am to him for taking care of her for that short time." Karen nodded to herself in the same relief.

"So are you going to go and see her?" She asked, but Robert had fallen silent on his end of the line. "Robert?"

There was still no answer and worry clouded her voice. "Robert? Hello? Are you going to fly over and see her?" Robert breathed shakily, the air rustling against the phone, and he replied.

"Yes, and once she's able to, I'll fly back here with her to our hospital so we're nearer to each other."

Karen nodded to herself. "I'll get a bag ready for you—come home and eat before you go up. You'll be no good to Sarah if you're half-starved." Robert gave a faint chuckle, thankful his wife thought of these things.

"I will. Thank you, Karen."

Karen then spent the next hour anxiously packing a suitcase for her husband for his trip to see Sarah. She'd been relatively calm over the phone—but it was the shock of the news that kept her that way. Now that she was no longer on the phone, the reality of the whole situation really hit her, and she sat at the counter crying for a while. Eventually she pulled herself together, remembering she had promised to pack a bag-and began worrying about what he would need; and if Sarah would need anything. At last she called her friend, whose husband traveled out of town frequently. Her friend, Sophie, calmed a tearful Karen down and walked her through what was most important to pack, and any other 'just in case' things.

Everything was ready for her husband, and at a last moment's thought, Karen hurried up to Sarah's old room—which had been converted into a guest room a little while after she had moved out—and got out a box of her old things. She put Sarah's favorite stuffed bear, Lancelot, whom Sarah had given to Toby until he got old enough that he deemed himself 'too old for it' and Karen had put it in a box of Sarah's old things, hoping that her step daughter might someday want them for her own children. Besides Lancelot, she laid an old comforter out on the bed, and Karen wondered if she wasn't being a bit silly in doing this. But she wanted Sarah to know how much they cared for her. At last everything was as ready as she knew how to make it, and she hoped it would be enough until they knew more about Sarah's condition.

* * *

Ten-year-old Toby Williams was tired. Really tired. So tired, that he found himself struggling to keep his eyes open. He sat in his fifth grade classroom to one side of the room, furthest from the door. They were going over the math they had begun learning the day before. The teacher-Mrs. Stevens-who was a thin, middle aged woman with golden brown hair sparsely streaked with fine silver hairs, was up at the chalkboard writing down multiplication problems. She was pretty and kind, and never yelled at the children unless they were doing something dangerous. All of her students loved her.

But today Toby was exhausted. He'd woken up in the middle of the night with a terrible dream that now he couldn't recall. All the boy could remember was that someone had taken his sister far away-and that the someone had odd eyes and wild hair. But Toby couldn't remember anything else about the face. As a result, he was terribly tired and desperately wishing class would be over soon. Unfortunately, his class still had about three hours before school was over for the day.

Toby gave a great yawn, not realizing how loud it was. His friend next to him nudged him and flicked his eyes at the teacher. Toby quickly covered his mouth and ducked his head, sending his own wide eyes up to Mrs. Stevens. She turned around at the sound with her eyebrows raised a little, but when she saw his reddening face, she smiled a little at him and then turned round to continue the lesson. Toby exhaled quietly in relief and gratitude at her not calling him out or being cross with him. He then went back to his lesson.

A knock on the door made everyone in the room look up, and the principal's secretary poked her head inside. "Excuse me Mrs. Stevens, but I need Toby Williams to come with me." Mrs. Stevens, concerned, but not one to pry, nodded and gestured at Toby. "Toby, go ahead with Ms. Madison." The secretary, Ms. Madison, looked around, and saw Toby when he gathered his things and stood up. She smiled a little at him and opened the door further so that he could step out into the hallway. His mother was standing there waiting for him, looking pale.

* * *

A week had passed after Toby's Father got the call that something had happened to Sarah. He flew to the hospital she was being cared for in and stayed there a full week and a half. Finally his father had brought Sarah back to their town's hospital, and the day after that, Toby and his mother, Karen, went up to see them.

Toby and Karen's shoes met with the hospital's cheap linoleum floor with a swift beat made up of worry and anxiety. He and his mother were walking down a hospital hall on their way to see Sarah. Eventually they came to a door that was partially opened, and Toby could hear that Sarah and their father were speaking, but he couldn't make out what they were saying.

All he did know when coming up here, was that Sarah had been in an accident-and that something was wrong with her-but his mother failed to elaborate on exactly what was wrong with her. But now that they were here, he hoped he'd be able to get some answers. Karen knocked on the door, and then they both stepped inside.

The first thing Toby noticed was the three bouquets of flowers on the hospital room's rolling table-which currently sat by the door and blocked his view of the majority of the room. The first he'd find out later was from the truck driver, and it consisted mostly of a variety of colorful daisies, with a card apologizing and saying that if Sarah ever needed anything, to let him know. The second bouquet was from Toby's father. It was one of the more extravagant 'get well' bouquets from his preferred flower shop, and the second largest of the three.

Toby stared in awe at the third. It was an elegant and simple bouquet, but also the largest. The most interesting thing about it was the tall, elaborately carved crystal vase that held the flowers. It sparkled subtly, casting tiny diamond shaped specks of light throughout the partially lit room. The vase held red peonies, white heather, and white gardenia; and the little specks of light from the vase shone up at the flowers and made them look as if they glowed. All combined, it looked very ethereal, and was without a card. Toby's mother gazed in wonder at it as they were coming in.

Robert heard their arrival and came over to greet them, hugging his wife tightly and sighing in relief, his heavy shoulders easing as he spoke hushedly. "I'm so glad you're here."

Karen returned the hug and replied. "I'm glad we were able to come and see her." Robert then pulled away, and she looked around the room.

Her eyes were again pulled to the sparkling bouquet. "Honey-did you bring those ones?" She whispered to her husband, and Robert shook his head lightly.

"No, and none of the nurses seem to know where they came from, either." He looked to the flowers, himself, saying. "They're beautiful, aren't they?" Karen nodded silently.

While this exchange was happening, Toby was busy looking around at the large room. It was filled with morning light from the sun outside, making the crystal vase shine even more. Then at last his eyes fell upon his injured sister, and Toby's stomach dropped and his face paled. She looked horrible.

She had scratches and bruises and her right arm was bandaged, and she was laying back in her bed, cocooned in blankets and pillows and looking as pale as the sheets she was wrapped up in. The large bandages around her head and over her eyes were what scared Toby the most. Karen led Toby to Sarah's side, and he looked her over again and his face wrinkled, tears pricking his eyes. The dark haired woman didn't need to be told who it was to know that it was Toby. She'd already turned her head towards him at the unmistakable sound of little feet, and Sarah smiled at him. "Hey Tobes."

Toby gulped and smiled faintly back, clutching her pale hand between both of his tightly. "Hi Sarah..." Sarah shifted in the bed, then, saying to Robert.

"I'd like to sit up, Dad." Her father moved forward and helped Sarah into a sitting position, while he directed Karen to use the bed's remote to raise the head of the bed and Robert eased Sarah back into the pillows there. Sarah relaxed into the bed with a sigh, her face creased with light lines, revealing her to be in pain. But they, too, lifted away and she smiled toward Toby, her hand gripping his as though to reassure him.

"How's school? Are you helping Karen out at home?" She asked, and the way she said it, made Toby feel a bit better. She sounded alright, at least. Toby nodded and responded.

"School's ok-my teacher, Mrs. Stevens, is really nice."

Sarah's smile widened into a grin. "I remember her! Does she still make her funny little cartoons on one side of the chalkboard?"

Toby's eyes brightened a little and he grinned back. "Yeah!" Sarah laughed and replied,

"Those always made me laugh." Toby nodded, and Sarah spoke again. "So are you helping Karen out at home?" She questioned. The blonde boy turned his head to look at his mother shortly before returning his gaze to his big sister.

"Yeah, I get to mow the lawn now, and I help mom with chores."

Sarah nodded, satisfied. "That's good-you keep that up, alright?" She said it in a half-serious voice, and Toby rolled his eyes in an attitude mastered only by ten year olds. But his saddened eyes and grimly set lips belied his tone of joking irritation.

"OK, Sarah. I promise."

Sarah's smile curved up in one corner into a smirk briefly before the room fell silent. They were thinking about what to say next. At last Toby quietly asked. "Sarah, what happened to you?" Sarah's smile fell a fraction, before she pressed her lips together in a thin line.

* * *

Before Toby and Karen arrived, Sarah and her father talked over what she was going to do after she was released from the hospital. She couldn't continue in her job, which required sight and swift mobility-two things that she would never again be able to do, according to the doctor. "You'll have to learn to walk with a cane, and for the first several months, it would be good to stay with someone who can help you manage the everyday things," The doctor had advised calmly.

'Everyday things!' Sarah thought bitterly. 'Won't I even be able to get dressed by myself anymore?!'

"We'll take care of her."

Robert reassured both the doctor and Sarah, the latter protesting, "Dad, I don't want to be a bother-"

Robert interrupted her firmly. "Sarah, you're no bother-and don't ever think that you are-it's no problem." Sarah fell silent and the doctor continued.

"That'll be best, I think. You'll want to continue physical therapy at home once you leave here. Once a week a physical therapist will visit you, and you'll be given exercises to practice by yourself or with your family's assistance, to help strengthen your leg. And being that your leg isn't too terribly damaged, it'll likely only be a couple times that the therapist visits you. Your fractured arm with heal without too much trouble, its cast will ensure that over the next couple of months."

The Williams' listened grimly, and the doctor kindly offered. "I am truly sorry for your loss. I know it seems hopeless-but this tragedy could open up a whole new world for you." Sarah thought on his words, but was more than a little bitter, and her bitterness toward the situation grew with every passing second. A whole new world would be opened to her? What kind of world would be better than the one she'd grown up in? One which was full of vibrant color and life?

What world could ever replace the one she'd had-one that had blessed her with the opportunity to see the faces of her loved ones-to see Toby as he grew up into a young man. She'd never experience that now. She'd never experience anything that could possibly replace those precious-and now forever lost-moments.

"Don't give up hope, Miss Williams; you're a strong woman. I believe you can do anything if you only decide to try." Despite the doctor's kind words, Sarah only felt anger and despair. How could she not give up hope? Sarah pressed her lips thin together to evade crying, and the doctor excused himself, promising to come back and check on her after a little while.

Her father spoke soothingly to her, "Don't worry, Sarah-there's some hope, after all! Always a silver lining-you mustn't forget that." He meant it to be encouraging, but Sarah felt anything but encouraged. She turned her head away from him, taking her hand back from his and swallowing the lump forming threateningly in her throat.

He was hurt-she could tell from the strained silence-and he sighed quietly. "Are you hungry? How about I find you something to eat?" Sarah didn't respond, and silence reigned, until his chair squeaked as he stood. "I'll go and see what I can find. I'll be right back, sweetheart." Her father said it softly, then slipped out of the door. The hurt in his voice was potent, and Sarah felt horribly guilty at how she'd treated him. None of this was his fault-and she had no right to take her anger out on him; especially now when he had so generously offered to take her in. Sarah decided she'd apologize when he came back.

Across the room there was a faint sound like something glass being set down on something wooden-the rolling table, maybe? And afterward, a flowery smell flowed from where the sound had originated; filling the room with a pleasant but light scent.

Sarah jumped at the sound, and her heart thudding, she called warily. "Hello...?" There was no answer. Had she imagined it? The sweet smell reached her and she felt herself relax a little. Footsteps entered the room, and her father's surprised voice questioned her.

"Sarah, are you alright? What's wrong?" Sarah didn't understand his surprise, until she realized that the sound that had surprised her, had frightened her so much, that she had jerked upright in bed. Why had it scared her?

Robert paused, then asked. "Sarah, did someone come in while I was gone?"

Sarah's lips turned down into a quizzical frown. "No, why?"

Robert stepped closer to the bed and answered. "There's a bouquet of flowers sitting next to mine on the rolling table." Sarah's frown deepened. Was that the sound she'd heard? Had someone just put the flowers down and left? That seemed an odd thing to do. Her dad sat on the edge of the bed beside her.

"I don't know-I heard a sound but no one spoke. Maybe a nurse brought it?" Sarah suggested doubtfully, and her father agreed.

"Could be." But he sounded just as doubtful as she felt.

Sarah replied. "I don't know who they'd be from, otherwise. I haven't had time for a boyfriend-not with how busy I am-" She stopped, and Sarah amended her statement, "-was." An awkward silence fell, until her father lifted it away.

"Oh, I almost forgot! I was able to find us some peach yogurt!" She could hear the smile in his voice and he shifted on the bed so he was facing her fully. "Here, do you want it?" Sarah hesitated. In truth, she hated anything with peaches in it. Ever since that night-"Sarah? Are you ok?" Robert's worried voice interrupted her thoughts and she forced a smile.

"Yeah. That sounds good, Dad. Thanks." She put her hands out and he carefully placed a plastic cup in one and a plastic spoon in the other. She hated peaches, but her Dad went to all that trouble just to get it for her, so she'd eat it.

They spent the next couple of hours discussing what they'd be doing for her at her father's home and decided they'd have to figure it out more when they got there. In the meantime, Sarah called her boss-who had been managing the mess at work-this time it being carpet choices and wall repairs, and not gallons of sewer water, she was dealing with. Sarah's nose wrinkled at the thought in sympathy. They'd have to gut the rooms to replace the sheetrock of the walls. Otherwise the smell would never go away. Because of this, it turned out that regardless of Sarah's own personal position, the business would be closed for several weeks-if not months. Her boss said they were likely to rent another building for the time being, and Sarah wished her luck, while her boss offered assistance with anything, should Sarah need it.

Sarah had also gotten in touch with her friends where she'd been living, and they all regretfully pitched in to help pack up her things, giving her treats and gifts in the hopes of lifting her spirits. Robert thanked them gratefully and hired a moving company to deliver everything to Sarah and her childhood home. Now all that was left was to heal and have hope that things would work out for the better.

Later when Toby and Karen arrived, it was pure torture for Sarah. She hadn't seen her brother in so long-and she'd forgotten until he arrived, that there was no possible way for her to see his face ever again. It took every ounce of courage in her to not break down into tears.

They talked, and when she jokingly reprimanded him, he'd replied in his own tone of joking irritation. "OK, Sarah. I promise." Sarah's smile curved up in one corner into a smirk briefly before Toby quietly asked. "Sarah, what happened to you?" Sarah's smile fell a fraction, before she pressed her lips together into a thin line.

He continued. "Why do you have bandages over your eyes?" Sarah squeezed her little brother's hand and smiled sadly.

"It's because I can't see anymore, Toby. When I was in that accident, I hit my head and my eyes were hurt." Sarah said, to which Toby cried in horror.

"Wait, so you mean-you'll never be able to see me, or mom and dad-again?"

Sarah nodded, then added with a feathery touch of humor in her tone, in an attempt to lighten the suddenly gloomy mood, "Yeah, which means you guys can make as many funny faces at me as you want, and I'll never know it." She grinned but it was more of a grimace, and Toby's voice shook with disapproval as he said loudly.

"Don't say that, Sarah! It's not a joke!"

Sarah jumped and her heart sunk in regret, her lips curving downward in a grimace. "Toby!" Karen chastised him, but Sarah shook her head swiftly in the negative, holding tightly to Toby's hand-she was afraid he'd pull away.

"No, it's fine Karen. He's right." Sarah frowned seriously. "I'm sorry Toby, you're right. It's not a joke and I shouldn't treat it like it is-but I said it because I didn't want you to worry."

The doctor returned just then, cutting their conversation short. "Well, it looks like you're able to go home now, Ms. Williams." Sarah felt a surge of relief, until he continued speaking. "I'll have the nurse come in to remove your bandages from around your head and eyes before you do, though." Sarah felt suddenly nervous. What would her face look like? She knew she wouldn't be able to see her face-and while that hurt, it was nothing to how concerned she felt about how it would look to her family, and how'd they react.

The doctor then addressed Sarah's father directly, "Mr. Williams, would you please follow me? I'll need you to sign the discharge papers, and to collect your daughter's belongings. Her father responded.

"Of course." He paused briefly, "Toby, why don't you come with me? You can help me with Sarah's things, and tell me about your week." Toby grudgingly agreed, promising Sarah in a quiet voice.

"Don't worry, Sarah, I'll hurry!" The sister's heart warmed, and she smiled in amusement at her little brother, though he was entirely serious.

"Alright, Toby." He released her hand and left with their father and the doctor.

"He looks up to you, do you know that?" Sarah turned her head toward Karen in surprise. Her stepmother had been standing beside Toby at Sarah's bedside-and for a guilty moment, Sarah realized that she had forgotten Karen was there. The injured woman had been so focused on Toby, she'd temporarily forgotten anyone else was there. She wondered if it wasn't the pain of her injuries, clouding everything but what she was most focused on.

"Does he?" Sarah breathed at last, and Karen replied.

"He talks about you constantly to his friends and teachers. About his 'awesome big sister'. I don't think a day goes by that he doesn't mention you or ask if you've called. He was really scared for you coming up here. He's been very brave."

Sarah smiled. "That sounds like Toby. He's the bravest little boy I know." Karen laughed lightly, and a knock on the door announced the nurse.

She greeted them and set out everything she'd need, then removed the bandages with alacrity, only pausing to cut parts of the bandages off-very carefully so as to avoid cutting Sarah-and she was soon finished. Karen gasped, "Oh, Sarah!" The nurse hurriedly explained sympathetically to a suddenly worried Sarah.

"The truck hit the right side of your head. You'll have a scar from your right temple all the way over onto the side of your head above your ear, after the stitches are removed-which will be roughly about a week or more from now." She added at the end, when Sarah began to ask. She then continued. "The hair's been cut away from that area to aid in stitching it up, so it'll grow in a bit crookedly."

Sarah could hear Karen trying to quiet her own tears, and at last Sarah hesitantly opened her eyes. She had to blink and look around to be sure her eyes were even really opened-everything was black as pitch to her. Her eyes felt stiff and tacky, and in the end she still wasn't quite sure that they were truly opened. So she asked wearily. "Are they really open?"

Karen sniffed. "Yes, Sarah, they're open." Sarah reached up to touch her face, and at last covered her eyes with her palms, blinking her eyes slowly open and closed to feel the lashes as her eyelids opened, just to verify it for herself.

The nurse was silent until after their exchange, and after Sarah's exploration of her damaged eyes. "I'm going to wash your face, miss-the surgeon leaves behind an antibiotic sort of lotion after surgery." Sarah nodded silently and the nurse went to the restroom attached to the hospital room to get some wet and dry towels. She returned and washed Sarah's face carefully and then dried it. "There! Much better. My goodness, you're beautiful, miss!" The nurse praised, and Sarah blushed, feeling awkward.

"Thanks..." She certainly didn't feel beautiful-particularly not then when she felt so grimy. The nurse seemed to have read her mind, because she told Sarah she could bathe as soon as she got home; but to have help washing her hair so as to avoid touching the stitches. Karen offered to help with it, and Sarah was grateful. Her hair dirty was one of the things Sarah couldn't stand. The nurse then excused herself, saying good bye, and Sarah and Karen sat in silence, just thinking of the future.

At length, Karen spoke, "I meant to tell you, Sarah, that Toby's right about that joke. You shouldn't say things like that. With Toby, you have to be more straightforward and honest with him, or else he won't trust you; and I know that's not what you want." Sarah's heart clenched painfully at the thought. Toby not trusting her would be unbearable.

"What I want is to protect him from this as much as I can!" Sarah said in frustration.

Toby's voice reached out to them from across the room in indignation, and Sarah jumped. "Mom's right, Sarah. I'm big now. You don't need to protect me anymore."

Sarah tried to interject. "Toby, I'm-"

Toby cut her off, coming closer as his father was pushing in what sounded like a wheelchair. "-going to be fine. You've protected me long enough-I think you need to let me protect you."

* * *

A/N: Daw, Toby's almost all grown up. I debated briefly on his age, but ten seemed a good number. I wanted him to be 'the protector' for his big sister. Little boys like to be responsible; and by helping his sister, it also gives him a chance to prove he's no longer a child. Toby's a big boy now, people!

Also, I like to leave little 'easter eggs' in my writing, so the flowers in Jareth's bouquet for Sarah have these meanings:

\- White Gardenia: "You are lovely", they're also a symbol of "secret love". (Hint hint, nudge nudge)

\- White Heather: Protection from danger.

\- *Red Peony: Devotion.

\- The message through them being: "You are lovely, and I will protect you from danger."

Isn't he so sweet? ;)

*A big thank you to STift1981 for pointing out the peony confusion! Thanks so much! :D

Disclaimer: Pretty sure I don't own it.


	4. Chapter Four: Coping

A/N: I have to apologize for the long wait on this. I've been working on Goblins's original version (finally finished, yay! Just have a few minor editing things and hopefully it'll be out soon..). I have been working on this though, I promise! :)

Chapter four's all about adjusting to a new life.

Labyrinthlover30: You really gotta quit peeking at my future chapter notes, friend! Because seriously pretty much everything you mentioned; I had already planned to address in this chapter. So yeah. Quit peeking. ;) Also I'm glad to hear that they were able to help her-and I hope she gets better! I'll keep her and her family in my prayers, and I wish them comfort and love! :)

Disclaimer: Really, I don't own it.

* * *

Blind

Chapter Four: Coping

* * *

The following months during physical therapy-and after the ophthalmologist had confirmed that she was indeed irreparably blind-were wrought with stubbed fingers and toes, and bruised elbows and shins as she relearned how to walk around her father's home. Sarah hadn't been there in so long, it was almost like she'd never set foot inside the building before in her life. She'd had to leave her old apartment and job behind her; the doctor recommended that she stay with her family at least until she could manage to live on her own.

Toby made it his mission to help his big sister in being able to maneuver and explore the house without assistance. He was very helpful in removing obstacles of small furniture and vases and the occasional Merlin, their dog, who had been beside himself with joy at Sarah's return. He and Sarah had both cried that first day; and ever since then, he was constantly on her heels. Either sensing that she needed a companion, or else needing to be near her after being apart for so long.

That next morning she was awoken by an alarmed cry from Karen. She had tripped in the hallway over Merlin, while carrying her laundry basket. She angrily reprimanded the poor dog, whom had laid down in front of Sarah's door and fallen asleep when he couldn't get in. It made Sarah so angry, that she'd jumped up from her bed, hissing in pain as she stumbled and bumped her way to her bedroom door to give Karen a piece of her mind. "Don't yell at him, Karen! He just wanted to come inside. If I had known sooner that he was out here, I'd have let him in!"

Karen felt a little guilty, but was still cross with the dog. "Merlin can't be inside all the time, Sarah. At some point you'll need to do without him." Sarah frowned. Karen was right-but that didn't give her the right to treat Merlin the way she had.

At last Karen sighed. "Well, come on then Merlin. I'll get you some breakfast." She turned to Sarah as Merlin whined and grudgingly went slowly down the stairs. If he were human-or at least could speak-he'd have been grumbling under his breath about bossy human women. Karen spoke to Sarah when she caught the younger woman trying to hide a yawn behind her hand. "It's still early, Sarah. Let's get you back to bed for now, and when you wake up I'll make you something to eat, alright?" Sarah could've argued the point-but sleep sounded too good to pass up-and she knew she was still terribly tired. "I'll bring you some pain pills to help you sleep and ease the pain once you're in bed." Karen set the basket on the ground, and helped Sarah get back into bed. After Sarah was comfortably settled back in bed, Karen hurried across the hall to put the laundry basket on the washing machine in the laundry room, before she went downstairs to grab Sarah's pills.

Later that night before Sarah got into bed she left her door open a bit, and a few minutes later Merlin came in. He climbed carefully onto her bed and settled down on his side next to her; putting himself between her and the edge of the bed. Sarah wrapped an arm around him, saying, "Thank you, Merlin-you're a good dog." Merlin tilted his head up to lick Sarah's face and whine softly, and she laughed quietly. Both slept soundly, one comforted by the other.

Karen wasn't particularly happy with Sarah keeping Merlin inside with her all of the time, and started making him stay in the yard. Sarah had protested this, but Karen was firm; complaining about the state of her living room rug. It was covered with an extra layer of Merlin's long shaggy hair, and Sarah finally admitted, "He helps me sleep, Karen! Can't he stay inside-at least for a little while?" Karen relented, mostly because Robert agreed with Sarah that the dog could stay inside. She only allowed it on the condition that Merlin be outside most of the day, up until the late afternoon, a few hours before Sarah went to sleep.

Because of the cast on her arm and the temporary black boot on her leg, dressing would have been a ridiculously difficult affair. The physical therapist at her first visit, suggested that Sarah buy some button up short-sleeved shirts and shorts or pajama bottoms; it was rather cold outside for it, but going outside right now made Sarah self conscious-particularly because their neighbors were unbelievably nosy. She'd discovered this when one of their more nosy neighbors, the Parkers, found out about Sarah and brought them a dessert after dinner.

Karen was not happy about their visit-which was more of an intrusion, really-because they were so falsely sympathetic. They were gossips. Terrible gossips. Robert kept having to change the subject, because they were determined to try and bring up some of their other neighbors dirty secrets, and to wheedle out everything they could about Sarah's former life and how she was doing now. At last they offered hopes that Sarah would get better soon, and left as nosy as they came-though perhaps a little more satisfied with what information they'd gathered. "They're such horrible people!" Karen hissed furiously as she put the tea tray they'd served with the Parker's cheap, dry upside-down cake they'd brought on the counter. Sarah couldn't help but to agree, and her stepmother continued, "I wouldn't have let them in at all, if it weren't for the fact that they'd only come up with more gossip to shove in our other neighbor's faces!"

She turned to a seated Sarah at the kitchen table, pausing in her furious assault aimed at the unoffending teacups with her yellow scrubby. "Those people could spy a dandelion in our lawn, and spin it into a whole tale of how I'm neglecting my family!" Robert came into the kitchen carrying a few extra dishes, just barely overhearing what his wife had said.

"You're doing a fine job, dear." His voice held a gentle smile in it, and he kissed his wife lovingly.

Sarah had found out that dressing herself was a challenge-mostly because she couldn't choose what she wanted to wear without Karen throwing in her two cents with each item-and Sarah'd had to be firm about what she wanted to wear. Yes, she was blind and couldn't see what she was wearing; but that didn't mean she wouldn't know what she was wearing. Sarah wanted to look her best-even when she was feeling her worst.

It helped overall when Sarah downsized in the amount of clothes she owned-and soon she was able to tell a shirt or pair of pants based on touch. Her friend who sewed as a hobby, mentioned sewing buttons to the hem of a shirt on the inside, and to put a corresponding button on a pair of jeans. That way she could tell what shirt would go with a certain pair of pants or skirt, based on the texture of the button's surface. Sarah and Karen were both thrilled by this ingenious idea; and it was immediately applied. It was much easier for the blind woman after that, and she found herself a tiny bit more confident.

Bathing, too, was difficult purely because of her cast. The boot wasn't a problem, as it could be removed and then put back on afterward. But for her cast; a garbage sack pulled up over her arm was all in the way of water repellence that it received. She felt utterly ridiculous. But aside from her cast, bathing wasn't too bad.

Toby was an absolute lifesaver when she needed something; going to great lengths to keep her comfortable and safe. Her little brother always walked patiently with her when she traversed the halls and maneuvered around furniture when she'd needed help. She'd been making a point of doing things on her own, but she still needed Toby's help now and then. He'd made it his job to help her learn where everything was in the house. Though the more this went on-the more Sarah worried about how it was affecting his social life. Sure, he had school friends he'd see during week days, but what about after school? What then?

After he'd do his homework was when Toby would help her. He'd hardly seen any of his friends since she came back into his life. "You don't need to keep doing this, Toby. What about all of your friends?" Sarah said to Toby one day, once he'd gotten out of school. Sarah was concerned that she was taking up all of his time. "It's no problem." Toby said cheerfully, and Sarah was amazed at his positive attitude. "Besides, school's almost out, so I'll have the whole summer to play with them!" Sarah smiled in relief-he was right-May was just around the corner.

She was out of the boot later that week, and her arm was put into a thin sling. "You're a remarkably fast healer, Ms. Williams! I'll wager you'll be out of that sling over the next couple of weeks!" Sarah gave a skeptical frown, but a sliver of hope shone her heart. The doctor had wagered correctly, it seemed, for not long afterward Sarah was able to move her arm freely. It was exhilarating for her to finally be free of the cast and boot, and her heart longed to be out on the streets for her morning jog once more.

Summer came, and with it her father's hesitant approval for her to try walking outside. Robert insisted, however, that she take either Toby or Karen with her to get used to being outside, before she tried going anywhere alone. Toby volunteered to go-and Merlin insisted on going-with Sarah when she mentioned how she missed jogging, and they went early every morning for about an hour. They started out walking for the first few weeks so that Sarah could memorize the dips and rises, and curbs and corners of the path they'd chosen.

They took a route that led to Sarah's old favorite park. The two would wander around it a bit, talking about anything and everything, before they'd sit on a park bench and Toby would describe the sunrise to Sarah, while Merlin sat with his head across Sarah's knees. He had gotten to be an old dog now, and running and tumbling in the grass was no longer as entertaining as it had been when he was young. Sarah would stroke the dog's head instead, while her sightless eyes gazed out before her mistily, her skin absorbing the sun's warmth as she imagined what the sky looked like. She was always grateful for Toby-especially in these moments-when he could be her eyes. Then after sitting in silence a little while, Sarah's phone alarm would beep, telling them to go home for breakfast. Once Toby had finished his chores, he'd go and play with his friends, and return with tales of his adventures.

This happy progress was spoiled, however, by an unexpected visitor one evening. The once Linda Williams-whom had given up her dull suburban life with her husband and child, to follow her dreams of stardom-was now sitting across from an uncomfortable Sarah in Karen and Robert's living room. Linda was invited reluctantly into the living room, where Sarah was already sitting, trying to learn braille with a handful of books that had been translated, from their local library.

Extra copies of one book from Karen's book club were forgotten on the coffee table, and Linda saw these. "Someone likes to read." She said, not really interested, and more condescending than anything. Sarah frowned lightly and Karen spoke up hastily, clearly annoyed by the woman's presence; but unable to eject Linda without Robert's approval. "I have a book club. We meet every Sunday-"

Linda interrupted, saying, "How nice for you." But her words were heavy laden with a politely uninterested tone, that Sarah knew would only incite her stepmother's wrath further. The blind woman didn't need to see it, to know that Karen was red-faced in fury from her seat on the couch beside Sarah. "Yes, well, you wouldn't really know, would you? You abandoned your family for money and a chance at the spotlight." The room fell into stunned, awkward silence, and Sarah could feel the anger coming off of Linda. At last the theater star cleared her throat delicately and spoke. "Would you mind leaving my daughter and I alone to talk?"

Karen made a sound of indignation, saying angrily, "Certainly not-!" But Robert gently interjected, "-Yes, of course." He said, then stood. "Toby, let's go." The boy grudgingly trudged past Linda, sending her a warning glare as he went. She was hurting his sister-and anyone hurting his sister was not welcome in his eyes!

Karen seemed to feel the same way, for Robert had to say her name a couple of times to get her just to look at him, and then to stand up. She patted Sarah's hand reassuringly before she did, then marched past her husband into the hall and through the kitchen's swinging door. Once she had, Robert spoke in a low voice with emphasis, "Sarah, If you need something removed from the room, let me know." Catching his drift, Sarah replied hurriedly, "Ok. Thanks Dad." Robert nodded, then sending one last look of warning at his ex-wife, Robert followed Karen into the kitchen.

Sarah's posture tensed a little more. Maybe she shouldn't have been so quick to allow Linda to make them leave. "So, Sarah..." Linda began slowly, and Sarah frowned internally. "Took you long enough to get here, Linda." Sarah's words hit like an anvil through, the silence was so profound. Sarah heard Linda shift in her armchair-she imagined it was in surprised discomfort; and rightly so. She should feel discomfort for abandoning her family like she had. "Sarah, I'm sorry. I would've come sooner, but I had a tour and with the constant traveling, your father's messages never reached me! You understand my predicament, don't you?" She made it sound like it was her father's fault, and Sarah bristled.

"Your predicament? Don't you have a cellphone?" The awkward feeling in the room increased, and Sarah continued in growing anger. "I'd have imagined theater stars can afford such things."

"It's not that, Sarah-!" Linda began crossly, and Sarah cut her off with cold precision. She'd had enough of Linda's excuses and attempts to place blame on others.

"Look, if you're going to keep making poor excuses, Linda, then you might as well leave. I have a new life to get used to, and if you're not going to be supportive, then you don't need to be a part of it!" Sarah snapped, and Toby's muffled voice could be heard in the kitchen whooping. "Yeah! Go Sarah!"

Apparently Karen and Robert didn't bother shushing him. Linda was quiet, then at last replied. "I see. I'm sorry, Sarah. If you ever need anything, let me know." She stood, and Robert and Karen returned to the room, Toby poking his head out from behind the swinging kitchen door to watch. Sarah answered in the same cool tone. "Right. Thanks." Linda was then quick to leave, not bothering to hug her daughter or say anything more. Sarah relaxed when she was gone, and felt suddenly exhausted. She'd burned a bridge-but it was a bridge she could do without.

* * *

Jareth looked around, disgruntled. It was not what he was used to. But then he had been living in a vast castle for all of his life. He set his jaw and glared at nothing in particular. He'd tough it out for Sarah. His eyebrows rose then at the thought of her. "Speaking of my lady fair..." Jareth made a flourishing gesture with one gloved hand and a crystal appeared there. Sitting down, he peered into the orb. He'd been keeping up with Sarah as she'd been recovering from her tragedy.

She wasn't doing well.

Physically speaking, she was doing remarkably well. But emotionally... He grimaced in frustration. He could see the difference in her emerald-green eyes. Once sparkling with life and fire and hope, that fire was now almost completely extinguished as she struggled with her new life. Her hopes-her very dreams-were crushed; shattered into a million pieces. His jaw clenched. He had promised himself that he would do what he could to help her. But now he'd have to wait for his opportunity to meet her again. He had to make plans, to offer a path before her when she was ready. He hoped very much that she would choose that path when the time came.

* * *

A/N: Sarah's slowly getting used to her new life; tensions rise between her and Karen a bit, Toby's a princely little brother, and Sarah's father's just doing what he can. Sarah's mom makes an appearance but goodness is she insensitive! Poor Jareth's going half mad in his desire to help the woman he loves. Also, I hope Sarah and her mom's conversation was realistic. I'm not sure yet if I like it. Anyway, review and tell me your thoughts! Thanks!

Disclaimer: Please insert the usual 'I own nothing' bit, here.


	5. Chapter Five: Aaron

A/N: I'm so glad you guys liked chapter four! It was fighting me some but we worked it out. ;)

LabyrinthLover30: I'm so glad you liked it! (Honestly that was my main concern-whether you'd like it or not.) Oh gosh PHOTOCOPIES!? XD I'm foiled! Oh what a world, what a world... Lol! Yes, I may have been too obvious at the end of chapter four... *embarrassed cough* I'm glad to hear she's doing better! I'll continue to keep her and her family in my prayers! :)

Disclaimer: Still own nothing.

* * *

Blind

Chapter Five: Aaron

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School started again and Toby couldn't go with Sarah for their morning walks, so Sarah and Karen bonded over walks she had wanted to take to the local library. The reason being that her father had discovered in the paper that there were book readings for fantasy genre books every wednesday. Sarah wanted very much to go so that she could listen and escape her routine. The readings were done by a handsome British man with short blond hair and blue eyes-according to Karen. And despite his charming personality, Karen found she'd rather continue with her own book club instead of listening to a genre she found a tad too childish for her liking. Which, honestly, suited Sarah just fine. She'd rather listen to the stories in peace, than have Karen sighing in boredom at her side.

The man's name was Aaron Robins, and he had come all the way from England to be an english professor at the university in town. Sarah couldn't understand why he'd want to come here of all places, but she was soon glad that he did. He read so well that each time she went, Sarah felt like she was transported into another world completely. Aaron had taken notice of her shortly after her first few visits. The first time they met, they talked for several hours about their favorite books, until in the end he'd asked her about her disability and why she'd chosen to come to the library. "I needed to escape my routine. I've been relearning to walk on my own, and when my stepmother mentioned these readings, I was curious and wanted to see-" She stopped briefly to correct herself, "-wanted to hear them."

"I'm glad you did," He said sincerely, "It's nice to have someone truly interested in the worlds of fantasy. Too many people prefer those unrealistic, sappy teen romance novels." Sarah laughed as he raised his voice into a pitchy, purposefully over-dramatic tone. "'How will I ever survive without you? My character is so lacking that I must depend upon our tension to sustain our novel!'" Sarah covered her mouth and gave a faint snort of laughter, but Aaron went on, his voice lowering, "'I'm just not good for you! My brooding, moody behavior will keep you ever in suspense and confusion as to my motives!'" Sarah lost it and laughed, and he'd laughed with her. He had such a pleasant laugh-and his voice was so soothing when talking to her-that Sarah wished very much that she could see his face to complete her impression of him.

They grew quiet after their laughter, settling into a surprisingly comfortable silence. Then at last Aaron asked, "So do you do anything else besides attend my humble readings?"

Sarah blushed in embarrassment. Because, in truth, she really hadn't been interested in anything else. "Not really." She admitted, "Your readings are the only thing I've been coming to lately."

Aaron was silent as he contemplated his response. "Well..." He hesitated, then pressed on with more resolution. "...Would you want to do private readings with me? We could do them right after the usual ones-or perhaps on another day, if you'd prefer?"

Sarah was hesitant. She didn't really know this man. But if they did the private reading right after their usual one, her dad would be on his way home from work by then, and could pick her up, instead of her having to walk home in the dark. "We could do readings after your usual ones, if that's alright with you? But I don't want you to be tired out from reading both-will it be too much?" She questioned in concern.

Aaron laughed warmly. "Not at all! In fact, it'll be nice to read for one person instead of twenty or more, for once. You've no idea how exhausting it is to entertain that many people..." He sighed dramatically and Sarah giggled.

"So what book did you have in mind for me to read? We've no shortage of options." He chuckled. Sarah grinned and thought on his question. He was right, there were so many different books they could read; so which one should she choose?

"Maybe... The Prydain Chronicles? It's one of my favorite series. What do you think?"

Aaron hummed to himself at her answer. "By Lloyd Alexander, correct?" Sarah nodded. "That sounds like an excellent choice! Would you like to start reading today, or wait until next week?" Sarah hesitated. It would be short notice for her to call her father today-and not very kind considering she had yet to talk to him about the private readings.

"Maybe we could start next week? It's sort of short notice, and I'd need to let my family know. I don't want them worrying."

Aaron responded kindly. "Of course. Then I'll see you next week?"

Sarah nodded resolutely. "Yes."

Sarah's father was reluctant initially when she spoke to him about her plan to stay after the normal readings to do private ones. Karen on the other hand, was thrilled with the idea-it was no secret that she had had it in her head that they'd make a sweet couple. Sarah protested this, which only served to convince her father that perhaps she'd be alright; while her stepmother merely took it as an admission that Sarah liked him.

So the private readings began the following wednesday, and Robert came after on his way home from work to pick her up. Aaron and Robert met then, since the younger man had insisted on walking her to the car, and helping her inside it just after her father arrived. The two men talked, and Aaron charmed her father to the point where they were both laughing jovially. She could hardly believe it, but was secretly pleased. Sarah had worried on the way to the car that her father might be unkind to Aaron. But the older man had been quite cordial, and she and her father talked on the way home about Aaron. She told him all she knew about the man, and that seemed only to increase her father's peace of mind about the two.

Over the next few weeks, Aaron plowed through the first book of the series, but gradually slowed with each successive book due to their more frequent and lengthy conversations after they'd read for the day. They'd started meeting twice a week and grew closer with each visit. It came to the point that they were so comfortable around each other, that while Aaron would read, Sarah would doze off in her chair beside him.

The first time this happened, she woke up in a panic, frightened when she didn't immediately recognize where she was, and thinking she was alone. "A-Aaron?" She squeaked, and moved to stand. Aaron's chair shifted and he immediately replied to reassure her.

"Sarah, you're alright. I'm here, I haven't left you." He soothed, taking her hand delicately in his. "You're alright, I promise." Sarah relaxed back into her seat, a surprising peace coming over her, and she felt safe.

Aaron leaned forward a bit. "If it would help," He began gently, "you could hold my hand-that way if you doze off again and awake, you'll know that you're not alone."

Sarah was unsure until the reminder of how terrified she had felt not a moment before-and how safe she'd felt after Aaron took her hand-convinced her, and she agreed. "Ok.. Thank you, Aaron."

So now Aaron held Sarah's hand where it rested on her chair's armrest, and it served as a huge comfort to her. When they'd meet on their own personal reading days, Aaron would make a point of humming a tune when he came up to her to keep from startling her.

"Hello, dear Sarah!" He'd say cheerfully, and she'd smile and extend her hand out to him.

"Hello Aaron." She'd smile, her face unbeknownst to her, was glowing.

Aaron would bend to place a kiss on her hand, then sit beside her and hold her hand in his. This was how their visits went from then on as a pleasant habit; and they wouldn't have changed it for anything.

During another of ther private readings, Sarah fell asleep and woke up a short time later, rubbing sleepily at her face. Her hand was still in Aaron's, on the arm of the chair she had fallen asleep in. 'Is he asleep...?' She wondered. Usually if he was awake, he would've said something by now. "Aaron?..." She whispered, but he didn't respond. Carefully she slipped her hand out from beneath his, putting it atop of his instead, where she could feel the faint scar on one of his knuckles. He'd said it had been from a riding accident when he was young. As she did she had a thought. It was a rather odd whim of a thought; but at that moment it was particularly alluring.

Sliding forward in her seat a little, Sarah's hand on top of Aaron's cautiously slid up his arm to his shoulder. Lightly she moved her hand up the side of his neck to his jaw. Her heart thudded wildly when she felt the strong contours there, and her hand passed up over his sharply defined cheekbones to his forehead where her fingertips brushed against his short feathery bangs.

She moved down his forehead to his eyebrows, then to his closed eyes, brushing over his surprisingly thick eyelashes. She discovered he had an aquiline nose, then she moved further down to find his thin lips and chin. She stopped there a moment to gather what she'd discovered and to set it to her imagination to work out. Karen was right-he was very attractive. Yet there was something about him that seemed familiar-but she couldn't remember what. For now she pushed it to the back of her mind to figure out later.

"I fell asleep, didn't I?" Aaron's mouth turned up in a smile as he spoke, his voice muffled under Sarah's hand.

Sarah went fire engine red and retracted her hand swiftly. "I-I'm sorry! You didn't answer when I said your name-I got curious and wanted to know what you looked like-"

Aaron gently interrupted her. "Sarah, it's fine." Sarah relaxed, and Aaron shifted in his seat. She felt the air flow across her arm and face as he leaned forward and spoke with a smile in his voice.

"Do you want to try it again? Repetition helps, I've gathered."

Sarah went a little redder as she timidly asked, "...Would you mind?"

Aaron chuckled and spoke on, "If I'd minded, I wouldn't have suggested it in the first place." she looked a little embarrassed, and Aaron continued reassuringly. "It'll be a good idea to practice it. It'll help you in recognizing friends and loved ones. Please." He invited at last, and Sarah stopped herself from over analyzing his 'friends and loved ones' comment.

She moved forward in her seat carefully, raising her hand. Her heart warmed and she felt that familiar feeling of security as gently, Aaron took it, and guided it to his cheek. "Don't be afraid." He added softly, and Sarah began slowly moving her hand, retracing her previous path. She arrived at his forehead, then went down over his eyebrows.

His eyelashes brushed her hand as his eyes closed, and she waited to be sure they were closed to continue. Passing over his eyes, she paused when she felt that the corners of his eyes were crinkled. Was he grimacing in discomfort? Her hand moved hesitantly down to the top of his nose, and his eyelashes brushed her hand again when they opened; and she flushed, realizing this time he'd be watching her, discovering him. "It's alright. Keep going, I won't bite." He urged, his voice holding a small smile in it-and she realized then that that was why his eyes had been crinkled. He'd been smiling! She relaxed at this realization, and then did as he said.

This time around she felt a little more at his nose, but very softly; almost as though it were a puzzle piece that would help her remember why he seemed so familiar to her. She was about to move on when a silly thought occurred to her, and she gently pinched his nose shut. He made a tiny sound of surprise, and she was beginning to worry she'd made a mistake-when she felt his mouth turn up in a huge grin as he said in a dramatically nasally voice, "Oh my!" Sarah giggled and he chuckled as she released his nose. "Nearly finished," Aaron said in his normal voice.

Sarah's hand moved down at last to his smiling mouth and chin, where she paused again to try and remember what she'd forgotten. Sarah felt Aaron shift slightly, and he placed his own hand carefully across hers; and then, without a word, he held it there and kissed the palm of her hand tenderly.

Sarah jumped in shock and Aaron released her when she moved to pull away, and he gave a small, slightly embarrassed laugh. "What was that for?" She questioned, her face becoming akin to a tomato. "I apologize, but I was experiencing inappropriately fond thoughts of you. I had to do it, or risk kissing your lips instead."

Sarah's stomach flipped and her heart felt suddenly warm. 'He-wanted to kiss me!?' She thought in shock, and was alarmed at how excited and pleased she was at the idea-and Sarah found herself almost wishing that he had. Surprised at her own thoughts, she was pulled from them by Aaron's voice. "I assumed you'd prefer I didn't kiss you," Her stomach flipped again. "was I mistaken?" He asked hesitantly, almost hopefully.

Her breath stilled, and she held her hand in the other one, feeling a bit awkward. "No. Thank you." She breathed at last, while to herself added. 'I guess...' Although she'd said 'No', some part of her meant 'Yes', which only served to confuse her more. Aaron moved in his seat-to look at the clock, she remembered. She only knew this by the sound the seat made. It made that sound whenever he'd check the clock in their past private readings. It squeaked again as he turned back to face her.

Aaron spoke with regret evident in his voice. "It's time for me to go, unfortunately. Would you like me to drive you home? Or perhaps call someone? It's gotten quite dark out there."

Sarah hesitated then shook her head negatively. "No, I'll be fine. Thanks, though." She could feel his concerned hesitation, then at last he turned resigned.

"Very well. May I walk you to the library doors, at least?" Sarah agreed after brief contemplation.

"Sure."

He helped her to stand and handed her her cane, then threaded her hand through his arm. They took the elevator and said goodnight to the woman at the front desk. They reached the doors in a silence that was surprisingly comfortable despite their earlier moment. He helped her put on her jacket, which she zipped up herself after he hesitated in doing it. He seemed to be waiting for her permission or for her to do it herself, and she was grateful that he did. Aaron was not offended in the least when her hands gently moved in front of his, and instead he guided them to the zipper's end for her.

She at last donned her hat, and once she was ready to go outside, he sighed. "Are you certain you don't want me to drive you? It's getting dark out there, and the weather could turn foul." Sarah smiled, "I'll be fine; if I get lost I'll call my dad." At last Aaron agreed and opened the door for Sarah and bid her farewell.

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A: I'm really pleased with how this chapter turned out! I hope you like it, too!

Disclaimer: Usual ramble.


	6. Chapter Six: A Careless Wish

A/N: And finally, that moment you've all been waiting for... (Drumroll, please...) Well, almost that moment.

*Also I added something small but significant to chapter five, so you may need to go and reread it.

AliceXxX: I actually don't know anyone who is blind; but I worry about it sometimes because of the health condition I have (Intracranial Hypertension). I could lose my eyesight if my situation deteriorates-and that's a fear I hope never comes true. Part of that fear is what got me thinking of the 'what if's' of if I ever went blind, and the scenarios and struggles I'd have to experience. I've had to imagine how different my life would be; and in writing this story, I've kind of answered my own questions as to what I would do if I lost my sight. Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I just read about Conversion Disorder, and that sounds so scary! Are you doing any better now? I know sometimes these things can have good and bad days. (Mine definitely does...) I hope you're doing better! I'm also glad to hear that you liked the chapter! Seven is nearly done! Woohoo! I'll see if I can't get it up tomorrow. :D

LabyrinthLover30: I can't even begin to express how happy it made me to read your review-that you felt that much emotion for what I've written makes me so happy! It has been my goal as a writer to elicit emotions from readers, for the characters. I'm always striving to improve, and reading your and others reviews helps me in that immensely! I'm glad you got a kick out of that 'sappy teen novels' bit-I laughed pretty hard when I thought of it. My friend gave me the funniest look until she later read what I wrote, and she had a similar reaction. XD Thank you so much for the compliment! :D Lol! Yes, best keep those notes under lock and key, Lady! ;D Thank you again!

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Blind

Chapter Six: A Careless Wish

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Sarah returned the following wednesday with nothing but Aaron on her mind. Karen had offered to walk Sarah there after hearing about her last private reading the previous week. The stepmother who had become more of an actual mother to Sarah-particularly after Linda's impertinent, insensitive appearance-was all a tizzy, to no doubt try and push Sarah and Aaron together in an attempt at matchmaking. Sarah had declined the offer, and Karen had disappointedly relented, only to practically shove Sarah out the door with a friendly warning not to come back until she at least had a date set to go out to dinner with him.

A mortified, furiously blushing Sarah Williams half-ran up the road to avoid her neighbor's attention. They'd been washing their car with the garden hose when Karen's loud voice caused them to lower it in curiosity. She only knew this, because the water splashing off of the car soon quieted as it hit the grass, and the couple's conversation fell silent on their side of the fence. Sarah moved faster in an attempt to avoid speaking to them, and narrowly avoided replying to a nosy, "Hello Sarah! Where are you off to, today?" The husband questioned overly casually-it was obvious he was interested.

'Wouldn't you like to know!' She thought angrily. 'What a nosy parker!'

The dark haired woman reached the library early, and Aaron had yet to arrive. She sat anxiously in her usual spot in the back, away from everyone else. Her fingernails tapped her walking stick in a senseless beat and she tried to stay calm. What was wrong with her? Her heart thudded when she heard familiar footsteps, which paused-probably surprised to see her there so early-then continued at the same pace to come to her side, humming his usual tune to alert her to his approach. "Well, hello there Sarah!" He said. "May I sit by you?" She nodded nervously, and because of those nerves, she lifted one hand toward him a second later than normal. He didn't seem to notice as he took it carefully and sat beside her. "You're here a bit early-trying to get ahead of the crowd?" He joked, and Sarah smiled a little before looking concerned.

"I'm not in the way, am I? I wasn't sure if there was another reading before yours or not today.."

He replied seriously, "You're perfect the way you are, Sarah." She blushed and he continued in a more jovial tone. "No, I'm afraid it's just me today. We've a new book that you might like. It's short-more of a children's book, really."

Sarah's eyebrows rose in interest. "Oh? What's it called?" She asked, but Aaron chuckled.

"You'll have to wait and see." She pouted, and he laughed again, patting her hand.

Aaron then looked around, his voice lowering and rising at intervals as he turned his head one way and then the other. "It looks like you're not the only one early today." He said in surprise. Before Sarah could ask what he meant, Aaron added, "I'll go and fetch the book, and we'll begin. I'll come back here right after so we can talk. Is that alright?" Sarah agreed, and he smiled.

"Excellent!" Delicately, he lifted her hand to his lips to place a chaste kiss on the back of it, then stood and slipped away, leaving a pink faced Sarah in his wake.

There must've been teenagers in this week's group, because the room became terribly noisy with their arrival. The teachers or parents with them shushed the children, and once everyone was seated and relatively quiet, Aaron took his place at the front of the crowd. "The book is titled: "The Labyrinth" It's a little short-but definitely worth the read." He said, and the crowd brought their attention more fully to him-but no one paid him as much attention, as Sarah did in that moment.

'Maybe it's a different book with the same title...'

She hoped, but almost as soon as Aaron started reading, she knew it was the very same book she had obsessed over as a teenager.

He read it so well with his lilting voice, that he calmed her while simultaneously frightening her with each word. Part of her kept hoping it wasn't the same book. 'Please, please don't let it be the same book!' She pleaded in her mind. She listened with rapt attention to every word in hopes that there would be something-anything-different from the book she had memorized. One added or missing word was all she needed. Just one.

But she was hampered in this anxious study of the story by the teenage boy in front of her, who kept mocking Aaron and the book, speaking in low tones to avoid being rebuked by his teachers.

The boys on either side of him were snickering quietly, barely holding back their laughter. It was to the point that Sarah was only catching half of what Aaron was saying. Finally she couldn't stand it any longer and leaned forward a little, hissing just so they could hear her. "For heaven's sake! Will you please keep it down?"

They fell silent, and she leaned back in relief. But then the boy causing all the mischief muttered just loud enough, to where he knew she would hear him. "Jeeze. I really wish the goblins would come and take her away; right now!" He spat, and the boys laughed. Sarah gaped in horror, and without a sound, she vanished from the world she knew.

* * *

The boy glanced over his shoulder at her with a smirk-until he realized she was gone. He spun around to look behind him, bewildered and a little frightened. A look around the room showed she was not there-and he sputtered in alarm when he realized the entire room of people were fast asleep. He shook both his friends beside him and hollered at them, but they didn't stir in the slightest. Behind him near the front of the seated group, pages ruffled and a book shut with a snap. He looked around, but the man reading the story, was gone, and in his place sat another.

The boy's eyes grew impressively large in fear. It was the Goblin King, as described in the book! From his wild white blond hair and flinty mismatched blue and brown eyes, respectively, to his upswept eyebrows and black as night armor. He was half perched on the stool Aaron had been occupying not seconds ago, arms folded. He held the book 'The Labyrinth' closed and tapped the top of its spine against his his lower lip thoughtfully; his shrewd eyes drilling into the young man's with great disdain.

At length he straightened, lowering the book and looking down his nose at the boy, and drawled. "A careless wish you've made, my boy. And now you have a choice to make."

The young man's face drained of color. "Wait, you're-you're the Goblin King!?"

Jareth replied dryly. "Obviously. I changed to suit my purposes. Aaron was a necessity for someone very dear to me. Someone you just wished away."

What once seemed impossible was achieved when Seth went, seemingly impossibly, paler. "I didn't mean it! I was just-!"

"-just what? Kidding?" Jareth interrupted him with a cold sneer. "But you weren't really, were you?" He leaned away from the stool, and with a flick of his wrist, the book vanished. "Even words not touched by magic have their consequences, Seth. What you've done goes far beyond that." His icy tone matched his eyes, and a sharp twist of the king's wrist made a crystal appear on the ends of his fingers. He tossed it to the boy, saying. "You have two choices now, boy."

Seth gasped and hurried to catch the crystal. He did, and when he looked up, the king was gone. "The first:" Seth yelped and spun around to see the Goblin King perched on the back of the blind woman's chair, his legs crossed and arms resting on his knee. The boy watched him warily, and Jareth tapped the air rhythmically with one finger, his eyes narrowing. "You can save the poor blind woman you so foolishly wished away," Jareth gestured behind him, and the library's supply closet door burst open to show a massive place that certainly couldn't be in the building's blueprints.

"Or," Seth looked back to the man, but he was gone again. He gasped when Jareth's voice sounded to his right, and he turned to see the man lounging in Aaron's preferred armchair. "The second: You can forget about her, and get your dreams instead." One of the Goblin King's swooped eyebrows lifted up his pale forehead as he looked pointedly at the crystal in Seth's hands.

"What will you decide?"

Seth looked down at the crystal in his hands, then to the swaying door leading to the mysterious land claiming to hold the Labyrinth. Could he really forget her and get his dreams? He looked back at the crystal guiltily. He could-but what would happen to her? The book had said something about the princess's baby brother becoming a goblin forever. Was that what would happen to her? She'd be turned into a goblin forever?

"Tick-tock, Seth. Your time is nearly up for choosing." The king stood up from the chair and his eyes darkened. "What will you decide?"

The very air seemed to still around them, and the books-had they been inclined to be spectators to the fantastical event occurring in their halls-would have been craning to see what the boy would choose.

At last Seth stared in determination at the king, and tossed the crystal to him. Jareth caught it easily in his hand, and his eyebrow rose higher.

"I choose to save her."

* * *

A/N: I almost-almost, left you hanging on that first "What will you decide?" bit. But I wanted to be nice and add a bit more. ^_~

Disclaimer: I own everything. Er-I mean nothing. Nothing. Just ask Jareth, he'll tell you gladly.

Jareth lifts an eyebrow and drawls in terrible boredom. "Clearly, she owns none of us." I nod my head.

"Thank you!"

Jareth glares up from the digital pages at my fingertips. "Now will you let me go and meet Sarah?" Humming thoughtfully, I pretend to consider it, and ignore his considerable glower.

"Oh, alright. I'm sure everyone else is looking forward to it, too..." I sigh dramatically.

Jareth grumbles. "About blasted time!"

Chuckling, I wave him off. "Right, stay tuned fellow readers! More to come!"


	7. Chapter Seven: The Clock & The Mirror

A/N: Chapter Seven! (I don't have much else to say, haha. ^^') Oh well. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Usual, 'nope don't own it' shtick.

* * *

Blind

Chapter Seven: The Mirror and the Clock

* * *

Sarah arrived in the throne room of the Goblin Castle, at the center of the Labyrinth. She only knew this because she could smell the sudden scent of some form of Goblin alcohol, chickens that were currently absent, and a unique, faint but distinct kind of cologne. It was very faint, though; so maybe the Goblin King wasn't there. 'That's right,' Sarah thought in remembrance, 'He offered me a chance to beat the Labyrinth. So he'll do the same for that boy. But... will he accept the challenge?..' Sarah's stomach dropped worriedly. She doubted it. He didn't know her, didn't have any ties to her. But maybe his guilt would press him to help her?

It seemed unlikely, though, and Sarah's hope was promptly squashed. She brought her attention back to the present when she noticed something odd. The assumed usual noise of the throne room was missing. Nothing but silence greeted her here. She'd expected goblins to be everywhere. Using her walking stick, she went around the room in search for the doors. She found the double doors to be locked, and could find no sign of the arched doorway and spiral staircase that had led to the Escher room. The only doors that she could tell, were the ones she'd already found.

Sarah was walking along the wall where she could swear the stairs to the Escher room used to be, when her hand grazed something cold, and a gravelly female voice above her gave an alarmed laugh. "Goodness! Stop that, that tickles!" Laughed the voice, and Sarah lurched away from it with a yelp, pulling her hand back and pressing it against her chest in fright.

"Who-Who's there!?" She cried.

The female voice's laugh faded away with a huff, and she answered in irritation. "I, young Lady, happen to be the king's personal looking glass-!" She started proudly, only to come to an abrupt stop. Sarah shifted warily on her feet, and the mirror went on. "Wait-you're Her, aren't you? The one the king's been worried about?"

Sarah's eyebrows came together in question. "What do you mean?"

"You know, the one he's gone to so much trouble to help?" The mirror hummed, saying almost to herself. "He's been awfully concerned-I don't think I've ever seen him so distressed.." A short silence passed between them almost as though the voice were shrugging. "I don't know all the details-just bits and pieces."

The blind woman thought hard on this. Jareth had been upset? About her? It seemed unlikely to Sarah. But then, she hadn't seen him in years, and it had been made clear the last time they met, that he had had strong feelings for her. So what exactly did that all mean for her now? Had Jareth continued to feel that way for her? Or was this all some elaborate scheme to get back at her for rebuffing his ill-timed affections?

"Miss, are you alright?" The mirror jogged Sarah from her thoughts, and she took a shaky breath.

"Yes-I'm fine. Sorry for tickling you, it was an accident."

The mirror chortled. "I know, it just surprised me-it would've surprised you, too, had you been asleep like I was. In any case, no harm done!"

Sarah nodded, hesitated, then at last continued. "Do you have a name?"

The mirror said. "The King calls me Mirra."

Sarah smiled, "Nice to meet you Mirra, I'm Sarah." the air around the mirror turned surprised and suddenly very interested.

"Oh? Nice to meet you, Sarah." Mirra's tone had a strange undercurrent, and Sarah cleared her throat in discomfort. Clearly the mirror knew something she didn't-and wasn't going to share.

"There wouldn't by any chance be another exit besides the double doors in here, would there?" Sarah asked hopefully.

The mirror immediately answered, downing any hopes Sarah had of getting out of there. "No, there's only those doors."

Her stomach sank to her shoes. "Oh. Well, thanks anyway." The mirror apologized, then fell silent, and Sarah began once more to wander around the room.

She came across a raised corner of stone, and she explored it with her walking stick. It appeared to be a step. What was it?

She found two more, shallower steps that ended against a short, but wide circular stone. Brow furrowing, Sarah reached out and her hand brushed against thick fabric hanging from metal rings wrapped around a sort of railing made up of smooth, cold stone. She paused, then followed it in a half circle, before she realized what it was. It was the Goblin King's throne. Her hand had been following the back of it. Quickly she pulled her hand away and got down, stumbling a little. But then an idea occurred to her. Could there be a door hidden behind the throne? She'd heard about things like that in other countries in her world, that had secret escape passages behind the throne for the king, should there be an attack or threat against him.

Reaching out again, she took hold of the railing and followed it to the side and back of the throne. But she and her stick discovered, to her dismay, that there was nothing there but several wavy kinds of odd outcroppings of expertly carved stone; that on one high up, apparently held a clock. It ticked and tocked at her as though to mock her, and she jumped when the apparently cuckoo clock chimed loudly and a grinding sound like an old metal gate for an equally old elevator sounded, and whatever was inside the clock, popped out. But instead of the customary 'cuckoo!' to announce the hour, the ticking grew a little louder and said in a melodic sing-song voice,

"Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock,

Little Sarah, Behind the Lock,

Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock,

Coming here, The Goblin King

Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock,

Who never, Has to knock."

Sarah stared up at where she thought it was coming from. Really to herself, she said, "You messed up that fourth line..." She jumped when the 'cuckoo' inside the clock sniffed and replied,

"Well excuse me, Little Miss!

You try and make a rhyme,

As witty as mine,

Just on a dime!"

It replied smugly, and after a moment of thought Sarah responded.

"You forgot to rhyme with 'Miss',

Forgive me for my slapdash rhyme,

But your poem comes from rust and grime,

Before I end I can't dismiss,

That your prose is quite remiss."

There was silence. And then the clock made a horrible dinging, grinding sound as though someone had dropped it, but clearly that was not the case, because it said, "Harrumph!" and fell quietly, though a little irritatedly, to ticking and tocking once again.

"Ha! She showed you, Tick-Tock; you ramshackle box of greasy gears!" Crowed the mirror from across the room, and Sarah flinched in surprise at the suddenness of it.

Above her the clock growled, and the mirror chortled across the room. "Do you know how to do anything other than tell badly written rhymes? Can you at least sing or something? You must be good for something other than telling the time." She snickered, and the clock called back waspishly.

"Well, excuse me! At least I can do something clever and reliable! Your images for the king are so difficult to make out, it's a miracle he doesn't have to wear strong spectacles just to decipher them!"

The mirror gasped in outrage. "Well I'm not the one who looks like a derailed train!"

The clock quickly followed her words with a dry laugh. "You don't even know what a derailed train is!" He then addressed Sarah. "That mirror knows about as much about human transportation, as a teaspoon knows about the moon!" He snorted, "She just thinks she's clever because she occasionally heard the king talking about how horrible trade relations are with the ogres!"

The mirror growled, clearly insulted. At length she returned, "I was wrong," she started, sounding all of a sudden contrite. Tick-Tock's pendulums slowed in suspicion.

"You are? About what..?" He asked.

"You are worth something-doesn't every throne room need a jester-?" She came to an abrupt stop, and a pregnant silence filled the room.

Sarah waited for Mirra to finish speaking, but when the looking glass and clock both remained silent, Sarah called to both of them. "Um... Mirra? Tick-Tock...?" Sarah called warily. But the mirror didn't answer, and the clock only ticked a little faster as though perhaps embarrassed. Bewildered, Sarah sighed. But she was feeling a little better at her successful encounter with the rhyming clock.

Sarah turned and went back toward the throne to retrace her steps. She found the throne and when she reached it, the smell of cologne that had once been faint, was now fairly strong-not overbearing-but it definitely had a presence. Following the rail around to the side of the royal seat, she froze when a loud 'click' resonated from across the room. The double doors were unlocking. With a great, creaking groan, the enormous doors swung slowly open, and a breeze carrying the Goblin King's scent swirled towards her.

His heeled boots clicked as he walked around the stone pit, nearing the throne. Face paling and heart beating in a panic, Sarah blurted out. "Hello?" The footsteps slowed to a halt before the throne, and Sarah could feel the coolness of his breath.

"Hello, Sarah. I hope Tick-Tock and Mirra were well behaved in my absence?" Jareth questioned, and there was a slight undertone aimed at the magicked objects. Tick-Tock ticked and tocked a bit louder.

At his voice, Sarah felt cold and sick all at once. She took a few hurried steps away from him, causing herself to bump into a stack of barrels. They apparently contained Goblin Ale, based on the sloshing they made, and she landed soundly on her backside. Her walking stick had flown from her hand as she fell. It dropped to the floor and rolled down into something. It sounded like it had fallen into the stone pit. Sarah froze in a panic. She'd never really walked anywhere without it except inside her dad's house.

"Stay there, I'll get it for you." Jareth said, his footsteps echoing in the goblin-less room.

"I'm fine, I can get it myself!" She cried, then quickly scrambled to her hands and knees to search for the stick. She turned in the direction she'd last heard it, her hand sliding across the stone floor in search of the edge of the pit. But Jareth's firm reply made her pause.

"No Sarah, you're not. Please allow me to help you." He said, but his voice and words were soothing instead of angry like she had expected them to be.

Sarah hesitated, frowning. "How do I know you won't 'help' me into an oubliette as soon as I'm upright?" She questioned, her tone laced with suspicion. The sound of her stick sliding over stone paused as he was picking it up. Sarah could feel his surprise in the air, and he sounded hurt when he replied.

"I thought you believed in second chances? You gave Hoggle one. Can't you give me one, as well?" She almost missed that he'd gotten Hoggle's name right. When she didn't reply, he lifted the walking stick up all the way and walked to her at a slow pace, adding. "I give you my word as Goblin King that I won't." He promised solemnly, and Sarah was rendered speechless by it. Surely this couldn't be the seductively sardonic Goblin King of her past?

"Here, lend me your hand so I can help you up." Jareth requested. Sarah slowly raised her hand and he carefully took it. His hand was warm, and surprisingly gloveless. With great care he lifted her to her feet, then returned her walking stick to her hand. She took it, relieved, and the tension Sarah felt toward him eased away a fraction. He wasn't as bad as she had expected, so far.

His voice brought her out of her reverie, and she focused on what he was saying. "You're no doubt tired from your journey. Why don't you allow me to lead you to my library? It has far more comfortable seating arrangements than this room-and I know you prefer the company of fine literature."

Sarah's eyebrows lifted high at Jareth's offer. The Goblin King's Library? What would that even be like? Her imagination couldn't quite get a hold of how the library would look. One version in her mind had it completely filthy and as goblin aplenty as the throne room; while the other version managed a small, elegant room. Neither quite felt right.

"Ok.."

Jareth's voice held a smile in it. "Excellent. Shall we?" He released her walking stick bearing hand, but threaded the other around his arm. They headed for the double doors, and Sarah felt Jareth make a gesture with his free hand. The doors creaked and closed behind them once they'd left the room. She frowned bitterly at the reminder of her predicament.

Jareth must've seen her expression. "I apologize for locking you in." He began, his voice truly regretful. "I was worried you'd make it into the Labyrinth. In your condition, the thought of something happening to you..." He trailed off, and his other hand came down to rest on hers briefly as though reassuring himself she was safe. Sarah realized that Jareth was entirely sincere, and she said nothing, trying to comprehend this new and strange Jareth. Why would he care what happened to her? Didn't he hate her-or at the very least harbor bitter feelings for when she turned him down the last time they'd parted ways?

She remembered Mirra's words from earlier, saying how he'd been going to a lot of effort for Sarah. Was this what Mirra had meant? Had he been arranging things for her to make her more comfortable? Sarah frowned and expressed her thoughts.

"Why are you doing this?"

Jareth's breath grazed her cheek as he turned his head to glance at her. "Doing what, Sarah?"

Sarah's lips thinned and she replied curtly. "This. Taking care of me. You could've let me sit in the throne room for the next thirteen hours until that boy comes, but instead you're trying to make me more comfortable?"

Jareth chuckled humorously. "I know it's difficult to believe, but this is how I treat most wished away. Usually, the both of us simply wait."

Sarah's eyebrows rose even as her lips curved discontentedly downwards. "So we sit and do nothing, then?"

Jareth laughed lightly. "Not unless you want to." Sarah remained silent and Jareth went on. "A lot can be accomplished in thirteen hours, Sarah. All you have to do is choose what you want to do first."

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A/N: *Knocks on wood* I hope it's good. Thanks for reading!

Disclaimer: Nope. Don't own it.


	8. Chapter Eight: Friends

A/N: Chapter Eight! Thank you all for your fantastic reviews, I appreciate it!

Labyrinthlover30: No worries! I knew it was you. ;) Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry, and I'm SO glad to hear you're doing better! Being sick is the worst, and I unfortunately have plenty of experience with that. X(

Disclaimer: Nope. Don't own it.

* * *

Blind

Chapter Eight: Friends

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The walk to the library was short, and Sarah was grateful for it. She wasn't feeling at all well. From what she could tell of the library, it was both clean and roomy-a significant change from the throne room. The library in all had a comfortable, peaceful feel to it, and Sarah felt a little better. Jareth was busy talking rapidly in a gibberish-like language to a goblin. Even though the language had a very strong nonsensical quality, Jareth's baritone voice managed to make it sound beautiful.

He had let go of Sarah, and the crackling of a fire nearby, accompanied by the warmth radiating from it, drew Sarah in. She hadn't realized it before, but she was actually quite cold. Moving toward the sound of the fire, she soaked in the heat, and it gradually began to warm her up.

She was nearing the fire when a pair of hands firmly but gently took hold of her arms. Sarah gasped, and before she could pull away, Jareth spoke to her. "Careful, Sarah. The fireplace is large. Don't get too close." With great care he turned her around, and her heart thudded strangely at his touch. Why did it seem so odd to her?

"O-Oh. Thank you." Sarah stammered, alarmed at both her near accident, and at how her heart beat went a little faster when he touched her. Not necessarily in fear-though there was some fear there-but another emotion she couldn't yet identify.

"Are you cold?" Jareth softly questioned, and Sarah found herself nodding a yes. "Come, we'll remedy that." He guided her, one hand on the small of her back, and the other ghosting down her arm to her hand. Goosebumps rose up on her skin when he did. She thought about the action and how it felt like there was something she was missing. Sarah put it to the back of her mind for now, and Jareth led her to a nearby arm chair. It was incredibly comfortable, and just the right distance from the fire to keep her warm. She closed her eyes upon sitting down, feeling tired. It'd been a rough day.

Jareth said something to the goblin, who replied in the same strange language. The creature then scuttled off, the library doors closing behind him. "Bark will send someone along with tea shortly." He said, and Sarah heard a second chair to her left sliding smoothly around so Jareth could sit down. He was sitting close enough that their hands on the armrests grazed each other, and he removed his hand so it didn't touch hers. Sarah, herself, pulled her hands into her lap, uncomfortable, and Jareth's next words captured her attention. "Your friends have done well here after your last visit-I've just sent for them. I thought perhaps you would like to spend some time with them." Sarah contemplated his words, her brow wrinkling in confusion.

"You didn't... punish them for helping me?" Sarah queried awkwardly. She would have expected as much from him.

Jareth's reply put her at ease. "Not at all. They did what was right-and I cannot fault them for their loyalty to one as noble and kind as yourself." Sarah sat in stunned silence, her cheeks burning under the compliment. His arm shifted against the armrest of his seat, and Sarah imagined him waving his hand gracefully as he then answered her earlier question about her friends. "Hoggle was promoted from his previous position outside the Labyrinth walls, as the pixie exterminator. Now he oversees the whole of the castle gardens." Sarah's eyes widened and Jareth chuckled as he added, "Although he'll likely tell you that he doesn't enjoy it nearly as much. I tend to be very particular, and more than occasionally eccentric."

Jareth's tone was heavy with meaning, like it was an inside joke that Sarah would understand, and she did. After she experienced the Labyrinth's design first hand, it was no surprise to her that the Goblin King's private garden would be any different. There was a knock at the door, which then opened at Jareth's invitation. A great deal of shuffling followed as what sounded like several goblins entered the room carrying a tray of shaking tea things. Jareth's chair squeaked as he turned-Sarah assumed-to watch their progress. With a worrisome rattle of china, the goblins set everything down on a small table tucked before Jareth and Sarah.

The one that must've been in charge exchanged words with the king, who sounded cheerful as he replied to the goblin before dismissing them. Sarah was wondering what he'd said, when he answered her unspoken question. "They brought some extra tea and pastry cream puffs for our next arrivals." Sarah's eyebrows lifted. He'd had extra tea made for her friends?

Sarah sat up in her seat. "So Hoggle works in the gardens? What about Sir Didymus and Ludo?" She asked, and Jareth shifted in the arm chair.

"Ah, the brothers." The king acknowledged thoughtfully, and his chair gave a quiet 'swoosh' as he slid forward. Sarah heard the teapot lid lifting and a moment later a heavenly aroma floated toward her. She couldn't help but to sniff the air, and her mouth involuntarily watered.

"What kind of tea is that?" She sat a little straighter, her hands clasped in her lap.

Jareth responded while replacing the lid. "It's a popular mix among my kind. Would you care for some?"

Sarah hesitated, a frown playing on her lips. The last time he'd given her food, it'd been a peach that pulled her into a dream-like ballroom where Jareth tried to convince her to forget her brother. She had to be certain it wasn't a similar situation. "It won't make me fall asleep or anything, will it?"

The air between them grew momentarily uncomfortable, and she could feel Jareth's eyes on her. He was regretful when he responded. "Sarah, I wish you no ill will, please understand that. I promise you that it's nothing but regular-albeit particularly delicious-tea." Amusement tenuously frosted the last part of his sentence, and the tension lessened.

Sarah sat thinking about what he'd said. If he had wanted to hurt her, he certainly would've done it by now. Otherwise what would he gain from all he'd done for her? She couldn't think of anything. While these thoughts churned in Sarah's head, the atmosphere between them turned more pleasant, and his tone cheerful. "Now, would you care for some tea?"

"Yes... please."

Jareth poured them tea, and in the meantime Sarah asked him again. "So what do Ludo and Sir Didymus do now? Have they been given jobs, too?"

Jareth replied. "In a moment." He began. "Your tea is ready. If you hold out your hands, I'll place it there."

Sarah did as he directed. The teacup and saucer rattled like the tinkling of a tiny bell as he lifted them from the tray. With great care he placed them in her hands, turning the handle of the teacup to her dominant hand when she began searching for it. She managed a timid thank you, her cheeks growing warm as he answered her question.

"The brothers were given new occupations, yes. Sir Didymus did not wish to leave the bog, but his brother's complaints about the smell convinced him that they would do better outside of that particular part of the Labyrinth." Jareth sipped his tea while Sarah asked him another question.

"What do they do now?"

Jareth set his teacup back onto its saucer. "Didymus has been training the Goblin Army for some time, now. He was very pleased, actually, when I requested he do it. His bravery in protecting you convinced me he'd be perfect for it." Jareth said. "And after his full five minutes of eloquently profuse thanks, he took to the task with great enthusiasm. The goblins were dismayed initially at his elaborate routine, but they like him very much now, I think." He took another sip. "Ludo and the rocks help him create obstacle courses and training battle grounds to train the goblins. The rocks that Ludo speaks to occasionally assist in that-although I suspect they like chasing the goblins more than training them." Jareth chuckled, and a smile tugged at one corner of Sarah's lips. "How is the tea? Does it require cream or sugar?" He inquired.

Sarah lifted the cup to her lips, and taking a careful sip, was exceptionally pleased with the mix of flavors. Fruity, warm, and fresh, it was like sunlight and spring flowers. It tasted like springtime. "It's delicious! I don't think it needs anything added to it, at all." She said, and she couldn't help smiling a little. It was the first smile she'd offered since her arrival, and Jareth became momentarily still at it.

At last he cleared his throat. "I'm glad you like it-it is a particular favorite of mine." He then offered her cream puffs, and was unperturbed when she accidentally dropped a few on the ground. He merely picked them up, all the while continuing their conversation as though nothing had happened-and Sarah could not express how grateful she was for it. Just then there was a heavy knock on the door, and Jareth set down his teacup before he turned to face the door and invited the newcomer in. The doors opened with a creak, and Sarah's head turned at the voice that followed.

"My lady!" Sir Didymus's voice carried to her in delight. "How art thou?"

"Sarah!" Ludo growled happily.

"Sarah! Why, it's really you!" Hoggle's own excited voice cried.

"Hey guys!" Sarah's smile could not have been bigger when she faced her friends, and the group began to make their way over to her.

"Well, I'll leave you to it." Jareth said, coming to his feet. "You all have much to speak about."

Sarah's head lifted toward him. "Jareth, wait!" His boots clicked when he paused half a step away, and Sarah went on. "Thank you. For all of this. It means a lot to me."

There was both the hint of a smile, and a touch of something else in his voice. "Enjoy yourselves. I'll step away to give you time to talk." Jareth spoke next to Hoggle. "Send for me before you leave, Hoggle."

"Yes, Your Majesty. Don't worry 'bout us."

Jareth replied, satisfied. "Thank you." Then he slipped out of the room. A silence followed his absence, and Ludo broke it with his rumbling voice.

"King Good." Ludo said to Sarah. "Help Sarah."

"He's a rat, but he's a good rat." Hoggle allowed, and despite his words, they were without the anger that many years ago would have accompanied such a remark.

Ludo shuffled over to Sarah's side and sat next to her chair. "Sarah-Blind?"

Sarah nodded her head, smiling sadly in Ludo's direction. She could feel his furry shoulder against the side of her chair and her own arm. "Yes, Ludo. I'm blind."

Sir Didymus's knightley voice spoke next. "His Majesty informed us shortly after thy accident, my lady. We were greatly distressed to be unable to assist thee."

"Couldn't do nothing." Hoggle grunted angrily. "Couldn't do nothing, but worry."

Ludo's great head came down to Sarah's level, his breath huffing across her arm as he spoke. "King promised. Help Sarah." Ludo said, and Sarah's eyebrows lifted.

"He promised you he'd help me? Why?"

Hoggle was the one to answer. "'Cause he knows we care about you, Sarah. He's the one that found out first about your accident." Hoggle went on to explain. "He called us to meet with him to discuss what could be done to help you."

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A/N: Hope you guys liked it!

Disclaimer: Clearly, I don't own it.


	9. Chapter Nine: The Boy

A/N: Several perspectives in this chapter. A big thank you to all those who have reviewed! Please know I do read them and take them to heart and in some instances apply the suggested corrections. (Which, thank you to those who have pointed out errors, I appreciate it!)

Labyrinthlover30: I'm glad you liked it! Yes, I did the cover myself. Thanks! ;)

Disclaimer: See previous answers.

* * *

Blind

Chapter Nine: The Boy

* * *

"Are you kidding me?" Seth cried as he marched along the maze's wall, coming to a fuming stop before a tall statue.

He'd been dumped like garbage at the top of a hill by a cold Goblin King and given a limited time in which to solve the Labyrinth before him. How on earth was he supposed to do that when there wasn't even a door into the maze? Was he expected to climb the ten foot wall? He didn't exactly excel in P.E. at school. His heart sank with the beginnings of despair. He was going to lose, and that woman he'd wished away would get turned into a goblin because of his carelessness. Seth scowled at the ground. What kind of person changes other people into different creatures, anyway?

"That evil jerk of a king!" Hissed an angry Seth.

"Well, I wouldn't say that." Commented a voice. Seth spun round and looked up in alarm. "Perhaps a bit mischievous, but certainly not evil." The statue of a woman before him replied in a knowledgeable tone. She smiled at the boy in amusement when he jumped in fright and gave a very girlish squeal. She laughed and then covered her mouth in apology. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. I'm called Sandra. What is your name?"

Seth took a moment to catch his breath. A statue was talking to him! At last he huffed, cross, and threw a glare her way. "Seth. I'm trying to find the way in. Do you know where the doors are?"

Sandra hummed and dusted off her skirt when she noticed dust had gathered there. Seth took several stumbling steps back and covered his mouth when it loomed like a cloud towards him. "Ah-sorry, again. In answer to your question, yes, I do know where the doors are."

Seth waved the air impatiently with his arm and moved to the side to avoid the now slowly dissipating cloud. "So, where are they?" He demanded, and Sandra lifted an eyebrow at him.

"I'm sorry?" She queried, her tone dry.

"The doors!" Seth repeated, growing angry. "If you know where they are, tell me and I'll leave."

Sandra frowned at him. "You have terrible manners, do you know that? You're going to have a difficult time finding love with the manners you're currently displaying-"

"For crying out loud, who cares! Will you answer my question or not?" He interrupted in shouted frustration. He needed to get inside! So was the statue woman going to let him in or not? Her gaze turned cold and disapproving-looking almost like his own mother if you'd left out the cold part. Sandra looked away from him to her right and stepped back within the wall until she was merely an image there. She began up a pathway drawn into the stone wall that disappeared into the image of an ivy covered archway, the inside of which was dark. Her sandaled toes occasionally brushed the stone grass and flowers as she moved to his left, and Seth hurried after her. "Wait! I'm sorry I yelled at you! Just let me in!"

Sandra slowed and looked down at him in irritation. "Not until you learn some manners." He stared at her in bewilderment as she came forward out of the carved image just before the wall, her hands clasped before her silently. Her grey eyes watched him and he couldn't help feeling uncomfortable under her scrutiny. Learn some manners? What did she mean? It hit him then, and he felt like a big idiot. Taking a deep breath, he spoke haltingly.

"Will you let me in-Please?" He put emphasis on 'please', and Sandra's mouth spread wide with a smile.

"You had only to ask. With the right words, anything can be accomplished." As she said this, the wall behind her began to rumble, and she stepped back into it. Her eyes stared straight ahead and the stones around her changed into a wide arch. At its center was a pillar that held it up, and which also was now half occupied by Sandra herself. A pathway of stone lay beyond her, giving him the option of left or right.

Seth made to walk through the arch when a cough from Sandra made him pause. He looked up and saw her gazing back expectantly, her eyebrows raised. "Oh! Uh... Thanks, Sandra." He offered a weak smile and she returned it with a warm smile of her own.

As he passed through the arch, he thought he heard her say. "Good luck!" But when he turned around to ask her what it was that she had said, the archway was gone-and in its place a solid stone wall.

* * *

Once Jareth stepped out of the library and closed the doors, he leaned back against them and closed his eyes. So far, things were going alright. He'd been worried in the beginning, though. He thought back to when he'd arrived in the throne room. Sarah's pale, frightened expression had nearly killed him. He had scared her, just by being in the same room with her. Then when she'd fallen and gotten to her knees in a panic after having dropped her walking stick. Her hands desperately scouring the stone floor, eyes wide and terror-ridden, and Jareth's stomach had twisted sickeningly. It was all he could do not to rush forward to aid her. But that would have only frightened her further and hindered any future progress he'd have had in gaining her trust.

Jareth's jaw clenched in anger at himself. If he hadn't acted like such a blasted fool her first time there, she wouldn't have been so frightened of him this time. But then his thoughts turned to mere moments ago when Sarah had smiled. His heart was still beating just a touch faster than normal. He'd taken in as much of her smile as he could, savoring the moment and secretly wishing not for the first time that she would have more reasons to smile. That, perhaps someday, he might be one of those reasons.

After Hoggle, Sir Didymus, and Ludo had arrived, Jareth expected to slip out quietly after a few words, but was thrown off guard when Sarah thanked him. He hadn't expected it, but she'd given it. For a moment he'd made her truly happy, and that was worth more to him than he could say.

Jareth's shoulders relaxed, a small smile warming his lips. His eyes opened and he leaned away from the doors. Flicking his wrist, a crystal appeared in the air near him, solid and clear. Jareth reached out and took hold of it, pulling it close and taking a deep breath. The crystal was cool in his hand, calming his nerves, and he relaxed. Everything would work out, one way or another. "Whatever happens, Sarah's happiness comes first." Jareth muttered to the empty corridor.

The crystal glimmered, and Jareth turned it in his hand and looked into it. Where was Seth now? He had to delay the boy to buy himself more time with Sarah. He didn't want to make Seth lose-taking Sarah away from her family would be beyond cruel-but he had to make the most of his time with her. The more time Jareth had, the better.

Jareth studied Seth's location with satisfaction. He'd made it inside the Labyrinth, made it past that first endless corridor that plagued all Runners in the beginning. He was roughly a fourth of the way to the city. He stood in a cobblestone courtyard that was half overgrown with grass growing up here and there between the stones. The cobblestones gave way to a small creek that made its way diagonally across the courtyard, disappearing under gaps between the wall and the ground. There were two ways to exit the courtyard, and the boy was gesturing at the one he was facing.

Seth was busy trying to convince a creature that looked somewhere between a chinchilla and a rabbit to help him. Based on their posture, it looked more like the boy was bullying the creature into helping him instead of simply asking. The rabchilla's long wispy tail flit from side to side in agitation, and its long ears flopped when it shook its head in a negative response. It didn't want to risk angering the king.

Which was smart, but not the response Seth needed.

Jareth stood pondering the boy's situation. Eventually the rabchilla appeared to agree to help Seth, telling him its name was La-usually a female name by rabchilla culture. Jareth knew they'd soon continue on the quest to rescue Sarah, likely gathering more friends along the way. For now the boy was fine where he was. It'd take him a while to get much further even with La's help. And in case he did get much further the next time Jareth checked in on him, the king would add a few more obstacles to slow his progress.

Jareth frowned. He was still angry at the boy for making the wish. Jareth had earned Sarah's trust as Aaron-and he had been trying to work out how to make the switch without losing that trust, when the wish had been made. He'd hoped the story might bring her thoughts to him, and that after the reading he could talk to her about it, even convince her that the king really must have loved her. But perhaps this was for the best. He was never really happy deceiving her. The trust and time spent together had made him happy, certainly, but her not knowing who he was made him terribly guilty. It was especially difficult for him now, when he had grown accustomed to holding her hand and reading and speaking to her on a weekly basis. Jareth grimaced, and his hand clenched into a fist at his side. Those reading sessions were absolute bliss to him. When she opened up, she was like the young Sarah he remembered.

But being without her trust now, being considered an enemy and a trickster, was nearly unbearable to him. Would he ever regain the trust he'd lost? Jareth sighed, feeling tired. Everything he was doing was for her-he just hoped in the end that something good came of it. His greatest fear was of this situation hurting her. He had to make sure that Seth made it to the castle before the thirteen hours was up. Otherwise Sarah would never forgive Jareth if she ended up trapped there, forever.

At last Jareth studied the area Seth and La occupied. He spotted a good place for his arrival, then tossed the crystal into the air. As the crystal took flight, his surroundings began to morph and change. Jareth sat down upon the floor, and leaned back against an obliging tree that inexplicably appeared behind him. At the same time he did this, the floor beneath him changed and darkened into a tall grey stone wall. The tree behind him had grown up amongst the stones as though the wall had been built around it, fitting it like a second layer of bark. The castle hall was gone, leaving Jareth at Seth's location. Stretching out his legs, Jareth crossed them at the ankles and folded his arms. Whilst looking down at the scene unfolding before him, Jareth absently extended his hand out over his legs, and caught the crystal as it fell.

He spun it over the back of his hand and across his knuckles with the same absent minded attitude, then held it once more in his hand. Pressing his knuckles to his lips, he tapped the crystal with his thumb before lifting his head to speak. "Bullying strangers now, are we?" He called.

Both occupants of the courtyard froze where they stood and looked around for the king. The rabchilla called La's eyes found him first, her wispy tail moving twice as fast. Her eyes were almost pleading-but not in fear of the king. Fear of the boy. Jareth's eyes narrowed at Seth in anger. When Seth followed her gaze, Jareth lifted an eyebrow at him. Turning on the wall to face the boy, Jareth let his legs dangle while his arms rested on his knees, the crystal hopping without movement from him, from one hand to the other with lazy grace.

Seth eyed the sphere with an unsettled expression. Appropriate, considering how powerful the Goblin King was. Seth imagined that crystal had to have a dangerous spell within it, and he didn't want to be anywhere near it. The same could be said about Jareth, except he was far less predictable, and far more dangerous. Finally Seth's gaze returned to meet Jareth's, and he scowled at the man. "What do you want?"

Jareth stopped the crystal and held it in one hand while he stared at Seth with a shrewd, mismatched look. "Just checking on your progress. You haven't gotten very far, have you?" The king questioned. Seth flushed and glowered.

"Not yet-but I'll beat your stupid maze, you wait and see!" Seth declared, straightening up haughtily.

Jareth raised an eyebrow while his eyes narrowed. "You think my maze is stupid, do you?" Jareth was cool and quiet, his expression deadly. Jareth's hand tightened around the crystal, and Seth seemed to have realized he'd made a mistake, his face draining of color.

"I-I meant-" Seth stammered in his haste to save himself.

"Oh, I understand perfectly well what you meant." Jareth tossed the crystal into the air, toward Seth. Out of instinct Seth caught it. When he looked up, Jareth was looming before him, expression dark and wild hair bristled.

"I understand that you're selfish enough to wish away a helpless blind woman because you were bored with your situation. I understand that instead of thinking of others, you chose only to think of yourself." Jareth paused and his lip curled in disgust at the now trembling boy.

"You don't even care about rescuing her, do you? You want her to turn into a goblin!" He accused with a sneer. "Save yourself some trouble." The king hissed venomously.

"No! That's not true-!" Seth cried, shaking his head.

"'Not true'?" Jareth's voice was so quiet, Seth could barely hear it. Jareth deliberately took a carefully composed step back. "Not true." He mused, and his mouth adopted a smile under cold eyes. "Perhaps you'd like to contemplate your words? I'm sure the nearest oubliette will be delighted to lend you its assistance in the task." Jareth's hand raised, and before Seth could get out another word, Jareth snapped his fingers. The crystal in Seth's hands popped like a bubble, and the boy vanished.

Jareth glared a moment longer at the place the boy occupied, before his expression eased and he looked down at La. The tiny creature's eyes widened, and slowly Jareth crouched down to be nearer its level. "I apologize if I frightened you." La gaped at the king in disbelief.

Jareth went on, twisting his hand and using his magic to produce a large carrot, leafy green stalk and all, in his hand. La's eyes grew wide at it, and when he stretched it out to her, she shrank away. Jareth stopped when he saw her reaction, and smiling kindly, he pulled the carrot back. "It's harmless, I promise you." She looked skeptical, and Jareth lifted his eyebrows. "May I?" He lifted the carrot to his lips, and La's head twitched in a nod. The king took a bite-enough to prove it was harmless, while still saving her a generous amount. He chewed what he took, then extended the rest of the carrot out to her again. "There, you see? Perfectly delicious." He sounded a little funny with his mouth half full, an attempt to put her at ease, and it worked. La smiled timidly, then took the carrot. She nibbled at it, hesitant, then finding it to be as harmless and delicious as the king had promised, she ate a little faster.

Jareth watched her a moment, then carefully sat down across from her on the grass-cobblestone mix of a ground. He cast his gaze around the courtyard, thinking about what came next. La slowed in eating to look curiously at him. Noticing this, Jareth smiled again at her before the look fell away. "What is your name, little rabchilla?"

La swallowed, her little white paws settling a firmer grip on the carrot before answering. "La." Her tiny voice was adorable, childlike, and Jareth realized she couldn't be very much older than Seth.

That thought reminded him of the boy currently occupying the nearest oubliette, and he grimaced internally. Outwardly, he smiled at the rabchilla.

"La, I have a task for you if you're willing?"

Her ears lifted up a little at this in question. "Yes?"

"The boy Seth will require some assistance getting out of the oubliette. Would you be willing to help him?"

La's paws shifted against the carrot warily, her ears falling again. "I guess so.."

Jareth studied her face seriously. He wanted to be sure she could handle it before sending her off to help the selfish boy. She seemed sure enough, so he continued.

"Let him stew a while first to think on the choices he's made. Whenever you're finished with that carrot, will be long enough. Then go to him. Don't let him out until he apologizes to you." Jareth said the last part quite seriously before pressing on. "He's in the tunnel oubliette. Do you still want to do this?" He questioned, and La thought on it. At last she replied.

"Yes."

Jareth nodded, pleased. "Thank you, La." With a flourish of his hand, a crystal appeared within it. "If you'll excuse me." He said to La, who bade him goodbye before turning to her food. Jareth let the crystal drop to the ground, and he and the crystal both vanished once it did.

* * *

"Jareth didn't say nothing about what he was going to do." Hoggle said, stirring his tea. The rest of Sarah's friends were enjoying their own refreshments, and Sarah was beyond happy to be speaking with them again. She was listening as Hoggle spoke, and when he paused, she turned her ears to Ludo and Sir Didymus, the latter of which was helping his larger brother in getting some pastries.

"Here you are, dear brother." The fox terrier's claws clicked against the plate housing the cream puffs as he collected a few and placed them in Ludo's large hand.

Ludo rumbled a, "Thank you." and proceeded to eat them.

"Thou art very welcome." Came Didymus's kind response, and Sarah smiled at how sweet they were to each other. Sarah's smile faded when she realized Hoggle had begun speaking again.

"-Jareth ended our meeting, and promised to do all he could for you. A long time-around a year-went by and then one day he vanished to his study and didn't come back out."

Sarah sipped her tea, then set it back down to rest on its saucer on her lap. "Vanished?"

Hoggle grunted in a way that suggested he was shaking his head. "In a manner of speaking. We didn't see him for almost three months after. Left instructions to call him if something happened. Gave the impression he'd gone far away to find some way to help you, but never told us for certain. Tick-Tock and Mirra know more about it, but won't say nothing. Jareth came back today, same as you."

Sarah frowned at this. He had been gone for three months? What had he been doing all that time? Sarah voiced her last thought and Hoggle replied, his sleeves brushing against the arms of the chair as he shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I only just talked to him before he left the library today."

Sarah nodded, contemplating all of this information. Jareth, always the enigma. Maybe she could get him to answer her questions when he returned? He'd seemed obliging enough with her other questions earlier-would that continue? And when would he be back? Sarah drank from her cup, took a deep breath, then changed the subject. "So how have you been? Jareth mentioned your new job taking care of the castle gardens?"

This topic apparently greatly pleased Hoggle, who began describing his duties and accomplishments with no small amount of pride. He said he'd put a lot of work into it, changing things at Jareth's discretion. When asked, Ludo and Sir Didymus, too, explained their new occupations. Didymus managed the majority of explaining their work, though Ludo interjected here and there with short comments. Some of which made Sarah laugh or smile. He had some difficulty keeping the rocks from frollicking, apparently. They liked very much to chase the goblins, who in turn liked it about as much as can be expected of one being chased by an enormous boulder. In the end Didymus managed a system that worked out for everyone. The rocks would chase the goblins as a form of exercise, keeping the small creatures swift. It seemed to be working, for now the goblin army moved with purpose and remarkable speed-and perhaps with more dignity than they had to begin with-for they now moved quickly and without fear.

Sarah in turn told them about her accident and the struggles she'd gone through in relearning everything. How the tasks that had once been simple, had quickly become impossible or extremely difficult. She had taken for granted all of the things she could do with her sight. She expressed to them how thankful she was to have had her family's assistance. She mentioned in particular Toby's dedication to helping her manage things, and Sarah's three friends were very much impressed with him.

"A noble lad, to be certain!" Sir Didymus declared. "Quite without a selfless bone in his body!"

"Like Sarah." Ludo said.

Hoggle agreed. "Learned from the best." He added, patting Sarah's hand with care.

Sarah blushed and ducked her head. "Thanks guys. He's been really great…" Sarah trailed off at a sudden thought, and her stomach took a nasty flip. The thought that had never been addressed, but was now very real in her mind. What would happen if she never went home? What about Toby? Her father and Karen? Karen had become like a mother to Sarah, and she'd thought of Karen as such for some time. Her family'd never know what had happened to her, and she could never explain it even if it were a possibility. How could she explain to her parents that she was in another world, part of which was ruled by the Goblin King?

* * *

A/N: I actually wrote out Seth's meeting with the Sandra before most of 'Blind' was even created. The scene was meant to be part of 'Goblins Above', but it turned out that it didn't really have a place and I put it off to the side. Aren't you glad I did? ;) I am! XD

Also: I really hope Jareth was in character here and that it all went smoothly. I'm a little iffy on it, so if I've made an error or it doesn't flow well, please let me know and I'll fix it asap! Thanks!

Labyrinthlover30: Seriously-how the crap are you doing that? Because I had planned to touch on both those topics in this chapter. Oh my soul, Lady. Just-continue being amazing. ;) XD By the way how is your friend's mom doing?

Disclaimer: Reeeeally sure I don't own it.


	10. Chapter Ten: Making a Choice

A/N: I have to apologize because I posted this chapter once before but I didn't feel like it was quite right and it kept bugging me. I realized what was wrong with it, so I took it down to fix it. ...And totally rewrote it. Ha. Anyway for those of you who read the first version of Ch.10, I hope this is all kinds of better! Oh, also the awesome new character in that chapter will be coming back, so if you liked him, don't worry! He's pretty important, so he'll be returning. Thanks!

Labyrinthlover30: Aw, thanks! ^_^ It makes my day reading your reviews and knowing that what I've written gives happiness to others. I'm glad to hear she's doing so much better! Still lotsa prayers happening over here. Hope you continue to feel better, too! I unfortunately had to see a dr. because my headaches have come back. Turns out it's another severe sinus infection (stuff tends to get trapped up in my sinuses) but the majority of it is just on one side of my head. I'm taking antibiotics right now but if they don't work I'll have to have surgery again. I'm hoping I don't have to because the last one was a beast! Anyway, writing helps distract from the pain, which is great and is something I love doing, so two birds with one stone, yes? XD Anyway! Still plugging along.

Disclaimer: I claim nothing but happiness in being able to share this story. ;)

* * *

Blind

Chapter Ten: Preparing a path and making a choice

* * *

Jareth returned to the castle beyond the goblin city about an hour after he'd left, though it felt like ages to him. He kept worrying about how much time he'd have left with Sarah. Instead of going to the library, the king went to his study after sending Seth to the oubliette and speaking to La. From one of the top shelves of the bookcase in his study, he pulled an old folded piece of yellowed parchment and opened it against the top of his desk. The complete map of the Labyrinth lay before him. Parts of it moved on the map as it did in real time. Things were different from Sarah's time here, being it was Seth's run. Each runner has their own version of the Labyrinth they must face-which meant Jareth had to study up in order to properly prepare each time. The king stared hard at the map. What else could he do to delay the boy?

He looked over Seth's Labyrinth with calculating eyes. A lake, a valley, and a lone encampment belonging to an old witch named Helga, were amongst the twisting and turning corridors of the maze that filled in everything in between. He frowned. With how the maze was moving, Seth might get to the castle sooner than Jareth had initially anticipated. The lake was the most likely place he'd end up in next. The lake was where, in this situation, the mermaids and the dryads resided. Things could go very well for Seth if the dryads decided to help him. But they were terribly shy, and would probably run at the first glimpse of him.

Good news for Jareth.

The mermaids he might not even be able to speak to. But mermaids are curious to a fault. Should Seth somehow speak to one, the mermaid might just help him, purely for the adventure.

Less than good news.

Jareth contemplated adding to the path placed before the teenager, and in the end he decided on moving the lake, the elderly witch Helga's camp, and the valley in that order, before Seth. He hoped the sly old Witch would be enough to hinder their progress a little longer if the lake wasn't enough. But, only time would tell, and the king would be wise to visit her before moving her land. An angry, occasionally senile sorceress, was hardly the kind of person you want to make angry. Jareth folded the map and put it away on its shelf. He conjured a crystal, dropped it to the ground, and vanished from his study.

Jareth appeared outside a camp comprised of small tents in a semi-circle. A pot bubbled above a fire that burned low at the camp's center, casting up wisps of smoke into the air.

"Helga?" He called.

A rattle of cutlery sounded from inside one of the nearby tents, and an elderly woman with curly white hair in a loose bun, brown eyes, and a healthy dose of wrinkles, bustled out of it. She had a bowl full of recently cut vegetables in one arm, and an old twisted walking stick in the opposite hand. "Jareth!" She croaked happily, her Scandinavian accent lilting her words. "You have not visited in some time!" She looked him over once with a shrewd gaze and her smile fell as she hobbled up to him. "You look thin since last I saw you." Her eyes brightened. "You found your Sarah?" Jareth nodded, but didn't look particularly happy. A frown graced Helga's wrinkled face. "Is that why you are so thin? I do not think she would want a stick for a husband." Helga prodded Jareth's torso with a gnarled finger, clearly disapproving his likeness to a stick.

Jareth went redder in the face than he cared to admit, and cleared his throat, staring stoically at the bubbling pot. "She's not my Sarah, and I very much doubt she wants me for a husband."

The slightly hunched over witch cast him a sly look. "Oh? And how would you know this?" She questioned, dumping the bowl of vegetables into the pot without her eyes leaving Jareth's. "Did you ask her?"

Jareth scowled. "I don't need to. I know she hates me."

Helga chortled. "You shouldn't assume such things." She set the bowl down and shook a finger at him. "I believe she'll come around if given the chance, and if you give the right amount of effort." The old woman added pointedly.

Jareth came to stand across from her at the pot as she started stirring it. "I've been trying to think of what else I can do for her." He said, eyes gazing down at the mix of vegetables. "I'd like to read to her-but I'm afraid if I do, she'll discover I'm Aaron. I'll lose her all over again." Jareth's jaw clenched and he cast a sour look at the soup.

Helga studied her king sadly. "Perhaps. But I think if you do, you'll discover more than you might imagine. It could be well worth the trying-certainly if she shares your affections. You'll never know, unless you try." As the witch said this, she sprinkled herbs into the water and mixed them in. A savory scent wafted up from it and Jareth couldn't help leaning forward a little to smell some more of it. She always made the most fantastic soups.

Jareth came back to the present, and had a dry thought. 'Could.' It was one of those unknown, ever present words. Still, his heart thumped faster in hope at the idea. If he could remind her of their time together at the library while he was Aaron, perhaps she would warm to him sooner. "I suppose…" Jareth said, and Helga smiled at his confirmation.

"Good. Now, what's all this about you wanting to move my camp?" She questioned, and Jareth nodded, unperturbed by her knowledge of the fact. Helga was gifted in foresight, though it wasn't exact. She'd known he was coming, but not exactly when.

"Our new Runner, Seth, will be heading this way over the next hour or two. Stall him as long as you see fit, but not more than two hours-three at the very most."

"You want him to win?" Helga asked, though it was more of a statement, and her already wrinkled brow wrinkled further.

Jareth scowled and his mismatched gaze burned with determination. "I can't take her away from her family, Helga. I won't cause her additional pain. She's suffered more than enough already."

Helga smiled at him, pride of her king glowing in her brown eyes. "I understand. I will be sure to do my best."

Jareth's posture eased. "Thank you, Helga." He twisted his hand before him, a crystal appearing there, and he paused, looking sideways at the pot and Helga. "You'll… save me some of that soup, won't you?"

Helga displayed a sad smile. "I think you will not want it. I will make you some better soup another day." Jareth pursed his lips anxiously at her mention of his next task.

"Of course." He murmured. Jareth would try. He would read to Sarah, and whatever came of it, he would do all he could so that she would be happy. His deception would be a mighty blow to her, now that she'd tentatively begun to trust him. He hoped somehow, someday, she'd be able to forgive him. All he could do was his best, and hope.

* * *

Sarah and her friends were laughing at a tale about Didymus and Ludo's training experiences. The two brothers were jointly recounting it when Jareth returned. He sounded cheerful, but there was a hint of anxiousness when he greeted them, and her friends took that as their cue to leave. After a round of hugs and promises to keep in touch, they left. Jareth then proposed an idea that had Sarah in equal parts bewildered and intrigued. "I know you like reading, and I was wondering if you would like me to read to you?" Sarah was unsure, and Jareth must've seen it, for he went on. "I have many stories here not found in your world-perhaps you would like to hear one?" This piqued Sarah's interest at once. Stories from a real fairy tale land? Ones no one in her world even knew about? That was beyond fascinating, and Sarah agreed with a nod.

"What story did you have in mind?"

Jareth's voice held relief in it, and he replied while getting up from his chair beside her. "I think perhaps the Dragon Chronicles? They're actually more of a history book, changed into story form. It's a very interesting read."

Sarah nodded again, this time with a little more enthusiasm. "It sounds interesting!" She agreed, and Jareth's voice was touched by a smile.

"Excellent! I'll go and fetch it." Sarah jumped when he gently took up her hand and laid a softer than silk kiss on the back of it. "I won't be but a moment." He carefully released her hand, and strode with smooth steps towards the books. His footsteps grew quieter abruptly and she recognized it as being the same sound as when someone in the library at home stepped behind a shelf. She listened until the steps faded entirely, and then began imagining what the book would be like. She wondered if the dragons had a monarchy, or were more like tribes. Sarah wondered if they were intelligent beings or more animal, run by instincts and the will to survive. She wondered about many things about the book and its occupants, and all of this made her realize how thirsty she had become, and she remembered her tea from earlier.

It was probably cold now. Scooting forward in her seat, her hands slowly moved toward the low table and she found the edge of it with her wrists. The table was higher than she remembered, and she slid the backs of her hands against the edge until the ends of her fingers could touch it, then slid them up on top of the table. Her cup and saucer she found immediately, and feeling relieved, Sarah lifted them carefully to herself. She discovered that not only was her tea cold, but there was barely a sip left in the cup.

Returning both the cup and saucer to the table, Sarah's hands sought out and found the teapot. It was still hot, and rather heavy. It must have been one of the extra teapots Jareth had had brought in for her friends. The thought made her surprisingly happy, and her heart warmed just a little. He'd been kind enough to not only invite her friends, but to also prepare plenty of food for them. Sarah found herself grateful, too, and she decided she'd thank Jareth again for what he had done for her.

While thinking this, Sarah began filling her cup. The teapot was getting heavy, however, and when she set it down, she hadn't realized how high she'd lifted it. The teapot tilted and fell sideways, the lid coming off. Tea spilled from the top and from the spout, scalding her hands and wrists. Sarah yelped and pulled her hands away, momentarily forgetting about the teapot. She remembered it too late, and reached forward to catch the crystal pot. Her hands brushed the side of it, her hands smacking the table. The teapot fell to the marble floor with a thunderous crash, and crystal teapot pieces and hot tea splayed the floor and her shoes, some splashing onto her jean-covered shins.

The tea soaked right through into the thin material of her worn tennis shoes, getting into her shoes and sinking into her socks. The heat from the tea sank in and was trapped in the confined space, making it that much more painful. Sarah frantically reached down to untie her tennis shoe laces. She worked them off her feet, half unlaced, and discarded the shoes and pulled her socks off. The marble where her feet had been was now covered in crystal shards and tea-something which one of Sarah's toes discovered when she went to put her foot back down. Pulling her feet up onto the seat, Sarah tugged at the hem of her pant legs to keep the fabric from touching her skin. She did this gingerly, avoiding moving her hands too much.

She was thinking of calling Jareth when a familiar collection of sounds came toward her. A padding of paws and clicking of claws, a tongue lolling out and a cold wet snout. It was a dog of some kind, and it was poking her arm with its wet nose, and then it whined.

"Um, Hello." Sarah said to it, not sure what else to do. The dog's breath had a strange scent like water-soaked wood, and it breezed across her face. Whining again, it walked around in front of her. Sarah remembered the mess on the ground and put her arms out to stop the animal. "No, wait!" The dog paused, its odd fur brushing against her hand. The fur felt odd, like dulled wooden toothpicks. Was the dog-made of wood?

Dipping its head down, it licked the palm of her hand as though to reassure her, then nuzzled that same hand and stepped under it. The broken teapot pieces crunched underneath its paws but the dog didn't seem to notice. It settled down to sit before her and sniffed at her feet. The wooden animal began whining again in concern, and very lightly prodded her toes with its nose. "I spilled tea on them." She explained. Sarah's new companion licked her toes but stopped when she hissed in pain. "It's fine! They're fine!" She said in a hurry. It must not have been convinced, because it nuzzled her hand again and rested its head on the seat by her legs. Sarah sat still, listening to it begin to whine again.

It was such a strange animal. Was it Jareth's dog? She had no idea he even liked them. But then, the two hadn't exactly been on speaking terms over the past ten years. If it was his dog, what was it doing here? How had she not met it before when Jareth was present? It seemed like the animal would have come begging for a bite of the cream puffs, if not to be by his master and to inspect the stranger in his home. Had it been asleep? That made sense. It could be that she woke it up when she dropped the teapot.

The wooden ear on the dog popped up, brushing against Sarah's leg. Lifting its head carefully, it turned away from Sarah and barked a short sort of rhythm. Falling silent, it waited with an air of expectancy, and Sarah's eyebrows pulled together in question. What was it doing? It huffed and barked the same rhythm again. Facing Sarah, it then licked her hand as though to reassure her. Swift footfalls sounded, quiet at first, then abruptly louder.

"Guardian, what's-?" Jareth got that far and faltered in his steps. It took half a second for him to take in the situation, and faster than she thought possible, he hurried forward. Guardian moved to the side of her chair and Sarah felt the air before her fill up with a thick mist of magic. The crystal pieces of the teapot scrambled across the marble floor with various tinkling sounds. It sounded like the teapot was piecing itself back together. At last it stopped and the magic faded away.

Sarah burst out apologetically. "Jareth, I'm so sorry-I dropped the teapot when I was trying to get more tea, and-"

"It's just a teapot, Sarah. It's not worth worrying about." Jareth said, and his tone was kind. He lifted the aforementioned pot and set it back down on the table, and beside it he set down something heavy. She could only assume it was the book he'd gone to get for her. "I'm far more concerned about you." He finished seriously. Sarah's heart beat a little faster at his words, and she frowned internally. What was wrong with her?

"Stars above Sarah, you've been burned!" Jareth exclaimed. His voice was heavy with concern, and he at once knelt down at her feet. Sarah's face flooded with color and she attempted to hide her feet from him.

"It's not that bad." Sarah insisted in a rush about her feet, reaching to cover them with her hands. Jareth gently but firmly took hold of her arms beneath the wrists to stop her hands from touching the burns on her feet.

"Sarah, these burns are serious. You need medical attention."

Sarah's stomach sank. "They're that bad?"

"Yes." Jareth hesitated and took a deep breath. "I can heal the burns, if you'll allow me to?" Jareth waited for her response, and at last Sarah nodded her consent-urged on by the pain radiating up her limbs from her injuries. Maybe it really was worse than she thought.

"Ok."

"I'll need to hold your feet one at a time. May I?" He questioned, and Sarah slid one foot forward off of the armchair. "Thank you." He said, and one of his boots tapped the ground when he lifted one knee. Sarah only knew that was what he did because of the shift in the air between them, and how there suddenly seemed to be less of it. With great delicacy he guided her foot to rest just above his knee, where he could inspect it better. "Is that comfortable for you? Or do you need me to move back?"

Sarah shook her head negatively. "It's fine there." Jareth hummed in response and brought his attention back to her foot. His hands were smooth and soft, and a little cool. They were soothing to her poor foot, and Sarah found herself relaxing little by little back into the armchair. "So…" Sarah paused, thoughtfully listening to Guardian's quiet breathing. Had the dog fallen asleep? Jareth's fingers slowed but continued to tend to her foot while she gathered her thoughts. "What exactly is Guardian?"

Jareth worked his fingers up along the side of her foot, pausing at the hem of her pant leg. "Your pants are wet here-did the tea get your legs?"

Sarah nodded. "Yes, just on the front."

Jareth lifted the fabric enough to see the skin beneath and a grimace accompanied his words. "It's burned you there, too. May I roll up the pant legs to get to the burns?"

Sarah nodded once more. "Yes." While Jareth rolled up the stiff fabric, Sarah continued speaking. "So what about Guardian? Is that your dog's name?" Jareth ran his fingers slowly down either side of the burn on her leg, and the heat trapped by the burn beneath her skin began to gradually cool.

Jareth replied quietly, focused on what he was doing. "Guarding is what he does, it isn't his name. It's just what I call him. I don't know what his name is." Jareth's cool hands stopped at the junction where her ankle and shin met and rested on his leg, sort of sandwiching her foot between them. "I grew him from one of the trees in the castle garden; he was made specifically to protect and assist others. His coming to your aid and calling me are no coincidence." Jareth adjusted his hands around the sides of her foot, and it began to cool there, too. "He sensed your distress and came to help and keep you safe."

Sarah's brow furrowed in puzzlement. "Why did you make him a guardian?"

Jareth was silent, and he lifted his hands to cool the top of her foot. "I find my people are in need of extra protection when I am not readily available. The guardian is under an enchantment that makes it easier for him to sense when someone's in danger."

Sarah thought on this and asked her next question. "How is it that you don't know his name?"

"He hasn't told me it yet."

Sarah stared in Jareth's direction. "What do you mean? Can he talk?"

Jareth chuckled. "Not in a language you can understand. I can understand the barks and other sounds he makes because I have a connection with him from creating him."

Jareth stopped talking to murmur something under his breath, and he hovered his hands above her foot. It began to itch and cool, irritating and relieving at the same time-which left her feeling a bit odd. Sarah recognized the itch as meaning that her burn was healing, but Jareth must have added the cooling to help lessen the intensity of the itch.

"I tend to let newly born magical beings choose their own names-unless they ask me to name them. Mirra is one who asked me to name her. Tick-Tock, on the other hand, named himself when he was still young. He wishes now that he'd waited a bit longer to do it. Ah, youth." Jareth sighed, amusement woven in his words. Sarah smiled a little at the story. That sounded like Tick-Tock, from what Sarah had gathered of his personality from their first meeting.

"When was the guardian born?"

Jareth hummed. "I'd say he's about a year old, now. He's made of wood, as I'm sure you noticed-I hope you didn't catch a sliver from him?"

At his concerned tone, Sarah hurriedly shook her head in the negative. "No, I didn't get any slivers." She was, however, still trying to wrap her head around the idea of the guardian dog being made of wood.

"That's good." Jareth seemed relieved. "He's supposed to be well polished; though I often catch him rolling around on the ground." He chuckled. "But perhaps that helps smooth away any chances of slivers."

Sarah giggled at this, imagining the guardian rolling about on the ground with his tongue lolling out and looking perfectly pleased with himself. "He's a good dog." She said.

"He is," Jareth agreed, and lifted his hands above her leg. With a slow sweeping motion, he brought his hands down over her leg and foot, almost as though he were scooping snow off of a railing. The coolness evaporated and left her skin tingling and pain-free.

"There. How does that feel?" He asked.

Sarah wiggled her toes experimentally-slowly and with caution at first-and then faster when she discovered the pain was gone. A residual soreness remained, but it felt infinitely better than it had before. "A lot better! Thank you, Jareth."

Jareth's smiling voice-one Sarah was now becoming accustomed to-responded graciously. "Of course, Sarah. I'm glad I can help." Jareth rolled Sarah's pant leg back down and she lowered it carefully to the ground. He went over Sarah's other foot and leg, running through the same process with the same results. Sarah could not begin to express how grateful she was for his help. The burns were more painful than she'd admitted to him in the beginning, and she was glad he had insisted on aiding her. Jareth next worked on Sarah's hands, and while he was finishing up her second one, Sarah haltingly spoke up.

"Jareth, I was wondering about my family," Jareth slowed in working on Sarah's hand and she pressed on. "I was wondering how they're doing. We've been here a while now, and I'm worried about them. Is there any way you can look in on them for me? Please?"

Jareth stopped and lowered Sarah's hand so he was holding it in his on his knee. "Sarah, you need only ever ask." Jareth said, then waved his free hand and Sarah felt the magic appear and form something small. She realized it was a crystal when Jareth held it between them and the magic shifted inside. "Who did you want to look in on first?"

"Toby, then my Dad and Karen, and-" Sarah stopped and shifted in her seat, going a little pink in the face before finishing. "-Aaron, from the library." The air around Jareth grew a bit tenser, but he nonetheless answered.

"Very well." Only a few seconds passed, and Jareth began to describe what he was seeing. "Young Toby is sitting in a mathematics class. He looks healthy-though understandably bored." Jareth said, amused.

Sarah relaxed further into her armchair and smiled. "That's good. Yeah, he's never been a big fan of math." Her smile faded a little when she nodded toward the crystal. "How are Dad and Karen?" The air moved between them as Jareth twisted his wrist again, and the magic seemed to roil on itself before becoming still again.

"Your father is working at his job, and…" He turned the crystal again. "..Karen appears to be making cupcakes. Both of them seem very well." Sarah's shoulders eased and she nodded.

"And Aaron?.." She queried. Jareth was tense again. He replied with the smallest touch of a frown on his lips.

"Just a moment." He said. The crystal was twirled again with his wrist, and Jareth spoke once it had settled. "The library's occupants are fast asleep. They won't wake until you and the boy Seth return."

Sarah looked alarmed. "What? Why is that?"

Jareth explained. "Because it's such a public space, filled with a group that would notice two people disappearing from amongst them. You needn't worry, it's only part of the wishing spell. They will be fine."

Sarah frowned, shaking her head. "But what if someone comes into the library and sees them all asleep?"

Jareth flicked his wrist and the crystal vanished. "No one will." Jareth said, and Sarah began to reply in disbelief when Jareth continued. "Sarah, do you remember how your time here and the time in your world differed? How you spent several hours here, but only a few in your world went by?" He paused until Sarah nodded slowly in understanding. "The same thing is true in this instance. But because of where you and Seth were upon your moment of disappearance, the wishing spell made everyone fall asleep, and adjusted the time here to pass much swifter than where they are. The time here seems to move normally, but in reality we're moving much faster than your world. Only a handful of minutes will go by there." Jareth reassured her. "No one will know you were gone."

Sarah thought on this, feeling a little better, but then remembered Aaron. "But what about Aaron? Was he alright?" Jareth didn't immediately respond, and lifted Sarah's hand to continue healing it.

"Aaron is fine. He has sweet dreams about your angelic smile, I believe." Jareth said matter-of-factly, and Sarah's face blushed all over again.

"R-Really?" She asked timidly, and she felt Jareth's gaze on her face before he chuckled.

"Any man would, Sarah." Jareth began sweetly. "Your smile lights up the hearts of all those who behold it." After having said this, Jareth's free hand swept over the top of hers in almost a caress. She blushed at his words-and might have felt more uncomfortable about the caress-if he hadn't also pulled the pain away with it. "There, your burns are all healed." He murmured, sounding relieved, and he placed his hand atop of hers lightly before cradling it in both of his and speaking to her. "How does it feel? Does it hurt at all?"

Sarah flexed her fingers there on his hand, then lifted her hand carefully to move her wrist and see if any pain remained. Like the other burn sites it was sore, but the pain was gone. "It's amazing," Sarah said. "It feels like I had the burns weeks ago instead of just minutes ago."

Sarah fell into an abrupt silence, feeling suddenly bad about how she had treated him since her arrival. Her reactions to him were perfectly justified considering their history; but in realizing just how much he'd done for her, Sarah discovered she hadn't been fair. He was looking for a second chance now she was there. A chance to show her he was a good man, and she'd been too stuck in the past to accept it.

A lump formed in her throat and pursing her lips, her eyes began to sting. He'd been so kind, and she'd treated him so badly. She swallowed the lump, taking a shaky breath. "I'm so sorry, Jareth. I've been so mean to you, and you've been trying to help me all whole time." Her voice shook despite her efforts to keep herself calm, and her hands moved to cover her trembling lips.

Jareth placed his hands comfortingly on her arms. Sarah found herself relaxing under his touch, and at the same time she broke down even more. An intense, indecisive air came off of Jareth, and his fingers couldn't seem to decide if they wanted to hold her tighter or let her go. "Sarah-" Jareth began and then stopped.

He took a quiet breath and started over. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Sarah." His own voice wavered, and it was so faint that she almost missed it. "After your first visit here, you have every right to be as mean to me as you like." Sarah sniffed and one of Jareth's hands released her only to return with a well made handkerchief. She could feel the intricate design sewn into it as he brushed it against the back of her hand for her to take. In a more cheerful tone, he said. "Here, take this and dab away your tears." It changed so that it bordered on teasingly stern. "I won't have you sad while in my home." Sarah took the handkerchief gratefully and let a small laugh out amongst her tears.

"Thank you-thank you so much for all you've done."

Jareth's soft, kind voice smiled. "Of course, Sarah."

* * *

A/N: Hopefully you guys liked the chapter! I like it much more this way than it was previously. Also a moment of unintentional rhyming at one point in this chapter. X'D Also please don't hate me for ending the chapter here. I'll get on the next one asap! It'll either be in Jareth's perspective of this chapter, or part of Seth's continuing journey.

Disclaimer: Just. Nope. Don't own it.


	11. Chapter Eleven: Lessons to Learn

A/N: More about Seth's run! Hopefully he'll start to learn his lesson.

*Also for those of you who read the earlier chapter already, I apologize for taking it down again. I've gone through it to fix it. Character development issues and scenes that weren't initially in the plan. I was getting too invested in Seth instead of keeping the focus on Sarah and Jareth. So I fixed that. I hope you like this one better! *fingers crossed*

-LabyrinthLover30: I'm glad you got to see both so we could talk about them, and I'm grateful for your thoughts on them. Thank you! The second version just felt better, you know? I'm glad you liked the healing part, I thought it was a really nice way to bring them closer together.

-Honoria Granger: I'm actually going to explain it in a few chapters, so hold tight!

Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth or any of its characters. I do, however, enjoy writing about them. ;)

* * *

Blind

Chapter Eleven: Lessons to Learn

* * *

Seth paced the outer edges of the lightless hole he found himself in. Muttered curses issued from him as he brushed his hands along the walls in search of an exit, feeling discouraged. How could he make it to the Goblin Castle in time if he was stuck in here? So far he'd made little progress in the maze, and this pit only continued to discourage him. How was he supposed to get out? Could he call to someone? Would they even hear him? He had no idea how deep the hole was-or even where it was. Seth bit his lip and continued his search. He was about to give up-to sit right down where he stood and throw in the towel. How could he defeat such a place? It was a death trap!

A quiet scratching somewhere in the hole made Seth pause halfway to the ground, and listen intently. A speck of light shone on the wall on the other side of the hole, and dirt sprinkled down from the ceiling onto his head. Seth spun around and looked up at the light. "Hello?" He called, and the scratching continued. The speck in the ceiling grew and Seth watched it. A minute later the hole was made large enough to silhoutte La's tiny head and part of her long ears.

"Are you ok?" She called, and Seth had never before in his life been so happy to see someone.

"La! Get me out of here!" He demanded, and La stiffened, peering down at him frowningly. Seth's brow furrowed and he was growing impatient when La remained silent. "What are you waiting for?"

La's ears twitched in discomfort. "You're supposed to say something before I can help you." The way she said it was odd, like she was repeating directions instead of replying to a question.

His face changed from cross to perplexed. "What are you talking about? Why won't you just help me?" He exclaimed.

La's ears flopped down in an expression of unhappiness and she shifted on her hind feet, her paws holding one ear close to her. "You'll yell at me again." She sounded frightened, but Seth didn't seem to notice.

"Seriously?" Seth cried in annoyance, his anger growing swift. "Just-!"

In a flash, La's expression turned frightened and she spun about and vanished from the opening. Seth stared at the opening. Fear fell over him like a dark, ominous shadow. Did she really just leave him there? Just after having found him? He snapped out of it and scrambled forward to the wall. "Wait! La, come back!" Seth shouted in panic, peering frantically at the empty hole above him. For a moment he attempted to scale the wall, but his efforts were thwarted by the sheer surface of rock, and he couldn't get a foot or handhold. The wall was at just an angle, that it made it impossible to climb.

Then a thought like a match flame flared to life in the boy's mind. This situation reminded him strongly of the statue woman, Sandra. But this was all back at the gates of the Labyrinth. His using manners was how he was able to get into the maze. Sandra would have reprimanded him like she had before. But La was too kind and wouldn't stick up for herself. Guilt picked terribly at his heart, and he swallowed as he peered up out of the hole. He called to La.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you. Please come back, La! I can't get out of here by myself." He stared at the illuminated hole, really feeling the truth of his own words. She was his only chance. Nothing stirred above, and Seth's stomach began to sink. With each passing second that that space remained empty, the more afraid he became. "I'm sorry for being mean. Please help me!"

Little by little La's tiny silhouette reappeared as she shuffled to the opening, her ears against her head. She sniffed and rubbed at her eyes, her shoulders shaking with each sniff. Seth's eyebrows rode high on his forehead. Was she crying? She sniffed again and his stomach sank so low that a rock may as well have been dropped into it. Seth had made her cry from yelling at her. He'd never made a girl cry. He could be mean, sure, but never that mean.

"Do you mean it?" La's voice wavered while she rubbed her eyes. Seth's sinking stomach, and the massive feeling of shame both currently occupying his body, seemed to be on opposite ends of the spectrum. His stomach had fallen, while his shame was on the rise.

"Yes, I meant it. I'm really sorry."

La's ears lifted a margin higher, and at last she replied. "...Ok." She wiped the tears from her tiny face and sniffed, saying. "I forgive you."

Seth's shoulders sagged in relief. "Thank you." He replied sincerely. He took a deep breath. "Please, will you help me out of here? I can't get out."

La nodded after a moment. "Yes, I'll help you."

Seth's stomach rose back up considerably and he breathed easier. "Thank you." He responded gratefully.

La glanced behind her and then scooched back to lay down on her belly, poking her little head down into the trap to look around. Her ears made loops as they fell halfway into the oubliette, and her nose twitched as she took in the situation and sniffed the air. Her whiskers wavered as though in a faint breeze and she observed this. "There's a little bit of air coming from in there, flowing up this way. I think I can find it, but-" She stopped, her voice abruptly going higher.

"But what?" Seth questioned, wondering about her tone. La shifted outside the hole warily.

"...I'll have to come down there to find it."

Seth's eyebrows lifted. Was that all? She was afraid of the fact she'd have to jump into a hole? A sarcastic, degrading comment began to work its way onto his tongue, when he stopped it just in time. She was already afraid; to insult her would only upset her further, and she'd probably leave him for good. He swallowed, and with the action went the unkind words. Considering the hole, Seth found he couldn't blame her for being afraid. He'd only been in the hole a short time and already the idea of being trapped in such a space any longer was terrifying to him. His lips formed a grimacing line and he looked up with all seriousness at La.

"I'll catch you."

La's eyes became enormous. "You'll-what?"

Seth repeated himself. "I said I'll catch you. I play basketball for my school, and you're about the same size as the ball we use. I will catch you if you drop down into the hole." He assured her confidently, but La didn't look very convinced.

"Are you sure?" She was still understandably anxious, and Seth's eyebrows lowered in certainty.

"I'm sure."

The little creature hesitated, then turned lengthwise beside the hole. "Ok... I'll come down. Are you ready?" Seth moved to just beneath La and got into position.

"I'm ready."

La gulped and turned around. Her tiny feet came first into the hole, her tail swinging from side to side. "Try to keep your tail still, it'll make it easier to catch you." He added, and at once her tail stopped. Next came one of her knees, until with a squeak she slid backwards and dangled from the opening by her front paws. La mewled like a kitten, nearly petrified, and Seth called to her. "Let go and I'll catch you!"

La mewled again and her paws released the opening. She curled up with a fearful squeak, and Seth caught her without trouble. His arms held her securely against his chest, the momentum of her fall making him take a half a step back into the wall. La was trembling, still curled up. Seth immediately went down to his knees and lowered her to the ground. "Are you ok? You did it, see?" The small talking animal peeked out from behind her paws to gaze up at him.

"I did?" She wavered, and Seth nodded, the tiniest bit amused she had yet to notice the ground.

"Yeah. Look." He inclined his head and flicked his eyes to the dirt beneath them.

She did, and the plain brown dirt looked peacefully back up at her. The rabchilla put her paws to the ground with a relieved gasp, then grinned at him. "I did it!" Seth laughed lightly at her childlike enthusiasm. She reminded him of his baby sister, Ella. Seth's expression faltered and fell with a sharp dive, and he pressed his tongue against the back of his teeth and forced down the painful ache in his throat and chest.

Ella had died of cancer when she was only two years old, almost three. It'd been the worst time in his life-the waiting for tests and for doctors and for the different procedures that had to be done. He remembered one time when they were between procedures, he and Ella sat together in her bed working on puzzles or reading books. Ella's proud face when she gazed up at him after they'd worked on a puzzle together had stuck with him. He didn't remember the puzzle itself-it didn't matter to him. What mattered was how her little face glowed with happiness at her accomplishment as she cried. "I did it!" Ella and La both had that glowing expression, and it hit him hard to see the similarities between them.

Seth took a deep breath to avoid the emotions building within him, and he blinked his watering eyes rapidly. He returned his attention to La just in time as she was beginning to look up at him in gratitude.

"Thank you for catching me. I was really scared." She admitted.

Seth nodded kindly, still thinking of Ella. "It's ok." Clearing his throat, he went on. "Thanks for forgiving and helping me." La smiled at him and he asked. "So how do we get out of here?"

La peered at their newly shared predicament, thoughtful. She rubbed at her face once, unknowingly puffing dirt on her cheeks and forehead. He hid a smile and a laugh by pressing his lips together, he didn't want to embarrass her by pointing out what she'd done, but it was too cute not to at least smile. She breathed in the dusty air of the oubliette. "I could feel the air escaping past my whiskers when I was up there-I think there must be a hidden door. I'll have a look around."

"Ok." Seth replied, and stood at the center of the oubliette as she moved to the edges of the available space. Outside of the light, her white fur turned grey in the shadows. She sniffed at the ground and wall, and stopped halfway round the room. Standing on her hind legs, La put her forepaws on the wall and scratched at it. The dirt where she scratched fell away to reveal what was definitely the wood grains of a door.

"Here it is!" She smiled a wide rabbit smile up at Seth and scratched to either side to find the edges of the door. La's furry forehead lowered as she uncovered more of it. It was entirely flat, and didn't look to have a handle. "I don't think it has a knob! Could it have fallen off?" She asked, peering around at the floor.

The teenager shook his head in the negative. "I've been all over in here, and haven't found anything like a doorknob. The door might not have a handle." He paused, thoughtful, and dug the dirt away from the door around the upper sides of it and then where there should've been a handle. "Maybe it has something like those sliding doors? Like an indented handle. My Dad has one at his house."

La glanced up at him in confusion. "Your Dad's house? Not your house?"

Seth grimaced, his eyes turning a little bitter as he picked away at the dirt. "My parents split up. They both have their own place-I get passed around so much, neither one feels like home."

"Why did they split up?" La's little voice made Seth pause, and she must have realized her question wasn't appropriate, because she apologized at once. "I'm sorry, it's none of my business."

Seth smiled with the bitterness turning up one corner of his lips. "It's fine. They split up because they don't love each other anymore. My mom worked all the time, and she barely spoke to my dad or me when she'd come home. We didn't even have meals together." Seth dug at the door harder, and it rattled with the pressure he applied. La pulled her paws away from the door, unable to do more to it because of this. Seth went on angrily. "My dad tried everything he could think of to make it work out, but after a while she just stopped coming home, making up excuses about delayed flights or being sent back out to another important overseas meeting." Seth stopped digging at the door and looked down at La, his anger changing into sadness. "Turned out my mom was cheating on my dad with another guy. She left us on my birthday, and my parents decided to get a divorce the next day. I've always felt like it was my fault-but my dad says it's my mom's." He turned back to the dirt-encrusted door. "I can't disagree with him on that. She's a real jerk-" Seth stopped when his hand slipped forward and found a groove in the door.

"What is it?" La asked. Seth scraped the dirt off of the groove, and a dulled bronze indented handle was revealed.

"It's the handle!" He grinned at her. "Let's get out of here." The boy put his fingers in the handle and pulled to one side. Dirt slid down the door from above it as it shook and opened. Seth squeezed into the opening to push the door fully open, and moved so La could get through. A long tunnel was before them, and in the distance Seth could see what looked like thin streams of light shining down at the end. "Look!" He cried, and wished he hadn't.

The tunnel rumbled above them and La shrieked as rocks began to fall. "Run!" The two scrambled up the tunnel, La just behind Seth. There was a small ladder at the end of the tunnel and some kind of trap door above them. The door was just low enough that he could unlatch it and shove it upward. It swung easily, stopping almost straight up and swaying peacefully despite the force he'd used.

Not noticing the oddness of such a reaction, Seth climbed the ladder, only to fall forward. The ground was instead before him and not below, and when he fell forward he threw out his arm with a cry of surprise to catch himself. He turned over just in time to reach out and catch La as she fell. The tunnel behind them groaned and the door creaked. Seth looked up and stared in astonishment. The door was shaped just like any regular door, and standing by itself against a towering wall of a corridor covered in ivy that was so tall it made the space look as though it was nearly twilight.

But what had him gaping was the view beyond the door where they'd just come out. It was like he was looking at the tunnel exit from above. He saw the top of the ladder, and the dirt and rocks falling, dust filling up the tunnel. Some rocks even halted halfway up the ladder and curved dangerously like gravity had changed its mind. Those rocks were sent bouncing out towards them as though to follow their example in escaping. Seth yelled at the sight of the oncoming rocks and used his feet to shove the door closed with a bang.

He could hear the rubble building up against the door, hammering on it like an obnoxiously persistent neighbor. At last it fell silent, dirt and dust being the only signs of the tunnel as they squeezed through the gaps and cracks of the door. The door held steady, and Seth dropped his head to the dewed grass and breathing heavily. La sat up and slid off his chest, and Seth looked at her before he lifted himself into a sitting position.

"Are you ok?" Seth questioned, and La peered down at her dirtied fur. She shook her head and then the rest of her, and a tiny cloud of dust issued from her. She sneezed, then rubbed her face.

"Yes, thanks to you." She said gratefully, and Seth smiled a little.

"That's good."

"What about you?" She asked, looking him over.

He did the same, and saw that he was unhurt. "I'm ok."

La's ears lowered in relief, then shot up again. Her whole body froze as she listened to something, and looked down the ivy corridor. "Oh! I know where we are!" She chirped, and standing up on her tiptoes, she peered down the corridor and twitched her nose, smelling the fresh. "I can hear the waves and smell the water-the lake must be nearby!"

Seth followed her gaze in interest. "Yeah?"

La bobbed her head as an affirmation. "Are you ready?" The boy got to his feet and wiped off the grass his clothes had gained from the fall.

"Yeah, let's get out of here."

La led the way with enthusiastic hops, full of energy and excited to see the lake. Every now and then Seth'd have to call her back when she'd disappear around a corner. She'd always poke her head back around the corner, ears lifted up above an adorable rabbit-y grin and paws patting the ground in turns. "Come on, slow poke!" She at last called back to him, shifting from one foot to the other in excitement. "It's berry season! We can eat some raspberries, and blueberries…" She went on listing berries as Seth caught up with her, feeling a bit winded and exasperated by her excited chatter.

He had to stop once to take a moment to catch his breath. La's energy was incredible. They at last came out of the hedge maze-which was what the corridor of leaves turned out to be-and into a small clearing. Beyond the trees of an old forest before them, they could hear the faint sound of waves.

"This way!" La said pointing, then cried, "Race you to the berries!" and bounded off.

Seth started after her a half a second later, calling after her. "La slow down!" Seth caught up with her and she looked back at him with an enthusiastic smile.

"I found some raspberries!" Seth could see that she really had, and he couldn't help smiling a little at how cute she was. The plant before La was enormous and speckled with huge raspberries. She'd already managed a large red berry off of the bottom of an uncharacteristically tall raspberry bush and held it out to him. "Here, what do you think?"

Seth took it with a murmured thank you and ate the berry. It was delicious, and after saying as much, the two ate until they were fit to burst. Seth hadn't realized how hungry he'd become, and he was grateful all over again for the berries. The leafy tops of the plant reached just a little higher than his shoulder, and through them he glimpsed a beach with waves crashing up onto it. "Hey, there's the lake!" He pointed toward the other side of the raspberry bush and they searched for a way through the bushes. They found a stream leading to the lake and La pointed at it. "We can wash up here. The water will be cleaner here than in the lake."

Seth agreed to this, and the two knelt down at the streamside to wash their hands and faces. But just as they approached, a high pitched shriek sounded, and nearly gave the two travelers a heart attack. They looked up in time to see the retreating forms of a dozen tall female figures. Their bodies seemed to be made up of leaves, and they were just looking away from the travelers to run into the forest when the two looked up. They stared after the women in shock, until they noticed that the trees on the other bank of the stream had become nearly leafless. Had the women been hiding in the trees?

Seth's head snapped down to look at La in dumbstruck question, and she seemed to be as embarrassed as he was shocked. "Er-Those were the lake forest's dryads. They're the spirits of the trees, made up of leaves and wind when they leave a tree. They come to water to drink, and are very shy around strangers. I think we frightened them."

Seth gazed at the opposite bank in apology. "Oops…"

They went ahead and washed in the stream, and La was able to wash out the raspberry juice from her fur around her mouth and paws. She did this delicately, looking embarrassed. "I'm not usually so messy..." La assured Seth, and he laughed.

"Me either. They were good berries though, huh?"

La nodded, saying with enthusiasm. "Really good!" She nodded so enthusiastically, that she nearly fell over. They both laughed and once they were finished washing up and getting a drink, they walked along the stream until they reached the shore tof the lake. Seth and La both stared in awe at the massive body of water. It went on for miles, touching a majority of the horizon and looking more like a sea than a lake, and the waves sweeping up onto the lakeshore only improved that thought. The forest stretched on, on most sides, and vanished with the lake at the horizon line. "It's huge!" Seth breathed, and La nodded in silent agreement. Here and there in the lake, black rocks of different sizes and shapes loomed or peaked out of the water, looking like the heads of enormous lake monsters.

Something on one of the closest rocks caught Seth's attention and his forehead wrinkled as he squinted at it. "What is-?" He began, when his eyes grew wide and he suddenly grinned. Lifting two fingers to his mouth he issued a catcall if a whistle. "Whoot-whoo!" La jumped and stared at him, bewildered.

"What are you doing?" She followed his gaze and covered her mouth with her paws in mortification. "Oh my gosh!" She yelped. For upon one of the rocks, a woman lay sunbathing. From the hips down another rock blocked her from sight, but she was naked from the waist up, her long green hair covering her chest. Her eyes were closed peacefully, but at Seth's whistle they snapped open. The woman's face went terribly green in a blush of shocked horror, and she sat up to look around. Upon seeing Seth, her eyes grew enormous before she glared in fury and ducked down into the water. He thought at first that she was just hiding herself behind the rock near her. But his eyes grew wide and his jaw dropped, when the end of what was clearly a large green fish tail and fin followed her. It pushed her deeper into the water, and she disappeared entirely.

"That's Princess Lyra!" La cried in horror. "She's the daughter of the mermaid queen, Arisa! Oh, we are in so much trouble!"

Seth looked down at La, confused and dismissive of her words. "Ok, so she's a princess. Whoop-de-do!" He scoffed, waving his hands and rolling his eyes, and La's tail bristled in indignation as well as worry. A disrespectful action or word towards a member of any royal family was dangerous-and unbeknownst to them, Seth would be experiencing that danger very, very soon.

A splash at the lakeshore made them both look up. That same woman, cheeks still flushed dark green in anger, was getting to her feet from the waves and walking towards them with swift, fluid-like steps. The water before her parted respectfully, and as can be expected, she was dripping from head to toe. But even as she walked, she began to rapidly dry, and her wet hair went from drenched, to damp, to dry within seconds. Her hair looked like green waves frozen in time. As was first thought, she wore nothing at all as a top, her long green hair all that kept her modest. But her lower half was covered by a long skirt that began at her hips and ended up dragging several inches behind her, it was so long. It resembled the fin in both color and scale pattern, a fin which she had had only moments ago.

Coming to stand before the teenager, the mermaid's hand swung back and then forward and soundly slapped Seth across the face. Seth stumbled back a few steps in shock, his hand flying up to protect his injured cheek. La squeaked in terror, cowering before the fearsome princess, who hissed once like a snake before speaking venomously. "How dare you!" Her voice was melodic-almost like she was singing. It would have been beautiful, if it wasn't for the second voice, like a delayed echo in a cave, which made her seem all the more ethereal; and at the moment, especially frightening. "Who do you think you are? Behaving in such a way toward a woman-and a stranger, no less! You should be ashamed of yourself!" La was already trembling, yet the mermaid princess rounded on her, too. "And you! You are of this world-you should know better than to let some human speak to us this way!"

Seth bristled, and surprising the two women, his hands turned to fists and he stepped in front of La protectively. "Leave La alone! It's my fault, not hers!" He seemed to have surprised himself, too, for his cheeks flushed, but he firmly stood his ground. Lyra's wide pale green eyes changed from shocked to disdainful. La, however, gazed up at him in awed relief, feeling safer.

Lyra continued speaking. "Then learn some manners! What you did was inappropriate. If you'd had any sort of respect for your fairer species, you'd know the correct and honorable thing to do would have been to turn away and leave-or at least avert your gaze while trying to speak to me!"

Seth glared back, incredulous. "If you didn't want someone to see you, maybe you shouldn't have been lying out in the open half naked! It's your own fault for being seen!"

Lyra's pale greenish skin turned greener in a mermaid's form of a blush, and she frowned in discomfort. He was right, of course. She couldn't deny that she shouldn't have been sunbathing there. "I suppose you are right." She began grudgingly, and then went on to explain. "I only did it because it was away from my own people. It gets tiresome being escorted everywhere by guards."

"Sounds kind of nice to me." La muttered. It was apparent she liked Seth's protective words and actions from a moment ago. The other two looked at her, making her eyes grow big and the fur on her cheeks bushy in a blush. "Being safe, I mean." La added in a hurried, timid voice.

Lyra replied bitterly, bringing Seth's attention back to her. "It is not as nice as you think. I cannot make friends without my mother's approval. Every choice is made for me, every moment, of every day. I have little to no say in the plans going on around me," She afterward gestured at the forest, her expression showing longing. "I have read everything I could about this place from my mother's stone library," At their bewildered looks, she elaborated. "My mother has a chronicler who is allowed to leave the lake. He writes down everything he learns on tablets of small, thin slabs of stone. He has been everywhere-even beyond the walls of the Labyrinth."

La's tiny voice gasped in amazement. "He's even left the Labyrinth?"

Lyra nodded, her eyes saddening, "But it is useless for I can never leave the lake." she gestured at the ground beneath her feet. "This is the furthest I have been from my home." Her arm fell back to her side. "You are lucky to be able to go where you please. Others do not enjoy such a luxury."

Seth shifted on his feet awkwardly. He felt bad for her, but there wasn't really anything he could do for her. "I'm sorry for you, but we kind of need to keep going." Lyra's eyes turned questioning.

"Where are you going?" She queried, and Seth gestured vague around them.

"We're looking for the Goblin King's castle. Do you know how to get there from here?"

The princess frowned. "Not from on land. But… I think there is a way through the lake. Near the bottom there is a tunnel. At least that is what I have read from the Chronicler's writings. It is supposed to lead beyond the lake to a place near the castle."

Seth was excited until he remembered where she'd said the tunnel was. "So-it's at the bottom of the lake?" He emphasized his words for clarification, and she inclined her head in a 'yes'. His face went a little pale, and Lyra spoke again.

"I do not remember where exactly. I would have to look at the Chronicler's notes to be certain where it is specifically. I think he may have drawn a map." Her face lit up suddenly. "If I show you the way there, will you take me with you on your journey?"

Seth was going to say no, because he didn't think she'd be much help beyond, and she must've caught his train of thought for she added, "I know where many things are in the Labyrinth, and I can look up more when we get to the library! Please will you take me with you?"

It made sense, Seth reasoned. Lyra could help them get to the castle, and she didn't seem like she'd slow them down very much. Seth was contemplating this, when he took one look at Lyra's big hopeful eyes, and it sealed the deal in his mind. "Yeah, ok, you can come with us." Lyra's joyful face was filled with such beautiful radiance that it was stunning, and Seth went a little pink in the face when he saw it.

"Oh, thank you!" She cried, her ethereal double voice twice as jubilant and just as melodious.

Seth's face flushed fully scarlet this time and he cleared his throat, casting his gaze down at the ground a moment to collect himself. La looked between Seth and Lyra in disbelief, and the slightest tinge of jealousy sparked to life in her eyes. She huffed quietly, though Seth failed to notice it. He was too busy recovering.

La huffed again and spoke up. "But we can't swim underwater! How do we get there?" In truth, La was frightened by the prospect of being under that much water for any time longer than a dip. Lyra reached down to her skirt and ripped off four thin stripes of what looked like iridescent seaweed.

"You can use this." She showed them two in each of her hands. "Tie one around your waist, and the other around your neck. They're made of magicked seaweed, and will allow you to have a tail and gills." Here she tapped the side of her neck with two fingers to emphasize where the gills would be. Seth and La exchanged an apprehensive look, and at last Seth nodded.

"Ok. Let's do it."

* * *

A/N: I am a LOT happier with how this chapter turned out. I realized it was Seth's character development that had issues and also the scene with that one dryad didn't fit. It was neat but not relevant, you know? Anyway, thoughts and questions? Let me know!

Disclaimer: Reaaally don't own Labyrinth or any of the awesomeness within it.


	12. Chapter Twelve: Kindness

A/N: I apologize for not updating sooner-what with holidays and life, it's been bonkers. I'm glad you guys liked chapter eleven! It turned out well. (After some additional work, lol...) Anyway here's chapter twelve. Back to Sarah and Jareth!

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

* * *

Blind

Chapter Twelve: Kindness

* * *

Jareth's heart appropriately jumped to a faster beat when Sarah smiled gratefully to him. He took the opportunity to study her face. Her green eyes, like emeralds, gazed warmly toward him as she dabbed her cheeks with his handkerchief. She managed to catch the tears with it, and her rosy lips were pulled up in a warm smile. Her dark hair was as beautiful as he remembered, smooth and the color of a raven's wing. She'd only grown more lovely with time, and it made him long all the more that they had not parted on such unpleasant terms the last time she was in his kingdom. They could have been getting to know one another better.

When Sarah was fully recovered, he sat beside her in his chair. "There, now. A smile suits you much better, I think." Sarah blushed, pleased, and Jareth's heart warmed to see it. But then her legs shifted in discomfort on the chair, and his eyes passed down to study the legs of her still wet jeans, and on the ground, her tennis shoes. The king frowned to himself. That couldn't be comfortable. He'd fix it if she'd allow it. He just hoped she wouldn't take it the wrong way. Jareth cleared his throat anxiously.

"Sarah, before we begin reading, would you be more comfortable with a change of attire? You must be cold now."

Sarah's eyes widened and he winced. "What?" She questioned.

Jareth leaned forward in his seat and explained. "Your pants and shoes are still wet-and I've not enough magic at the moment to clean them myself." It was true-he'd used a considerable amount of his magical reserves to heal her wounds. Healing was one of the more elaborate forms of magic, and required quite a lot of it to work properly. It'd drained him-though he'd never tell her just how much it had drained him-but he still needed to give her the reason for the suggestion.

Jareth came to his feet before she could form a protest, and he reassured her as he came to stand before her and her chair. "I would not like for you to be uncomfortable, Sarah. I can have a servant wash your clothes, and in the meantime you can enjoy the Underground's finest of fashions?" Sarah hesitated, looking intrigued as she thought about it, and Jareth's kind voice tugged her attention back to him.

"If it helps, you might be interested in knowing that the clothes you'll be changing into come from a magic wardrobe?" Sarah's eyebrows indeed lifted high in interested wonder, and then she grinned with a teasing amusement that made Jareth's heart both warm and thump wildly.

"So you've raided Narnia's closets?" Sarah jokingly accused, then still joking, her tone turned severe. "I'm not sure Aslan would approve."

Jareth grinned back, restraining his laughter to carry on the joke. He replied with mock indignance. "Well, really, what use can a Lion have for waistcoats and cravats?" Unable to contain themselves, they both laughed, and when the laughter had quieted, Jareth spoke with a chuckle. "No, but our clothes are certainly fine, I assure you." Sarah's smile stayed though the teasing lilt to her lips had faded.

"I think I could handle wearing something new for a while." Jareth's shoulders eased in relief.

"Excellent! I shall fetch you your shoes." He said, then stepped to the side and picked up her socks and shoes.

"Jareth, I can put them on." Sarah said quickly, holding out her hands.

With a pause, Jareth smiled tenderly at Sarah. "I hadn't actually intended for you to wear them, Sarah. But if you could hold them, that would help."

Sarah's expression became confused. "What do you mean?"

Jareth straightened, her shoes in hand. "I do not think you should put your wet shoes back on-and I dare not allow you to walk barefoot in the castle. The goblins tend to leave about a whole cacophony of items on the castle floors. I can barely keep the library clean, as it is." He carefully handed her the tennis shoes. "If you'll allow me to, I think it would be best if I carry you."

"Carry me?" Sarah squeaked as she set her tennis shoes in her lap, and then put her hands on her knees, her face glowing until it was relative to a tomato.

Jareth chuckled fondly and reassured her. "Yes, but only for a short time."

Sarah gulped, speaking timidly. "You'll be careful?" Jareth's smile fell away to be replaced with a serious line.

"Of course, Sarah." Jareth solemnly assured her.

Sarah looked thoughtful, her expression easing, and Jareth held his breath.

At last she gave a nod. "What do I do?"

Jareth released the breath he'd been holding and put his hand on hers-her fingers twitching infinitesimally at the unexpected touch. "I'll have one arm behind your shoulders and the other beneath your knees. All you need to do is keep your arms round my neck and hold tight."

Sarah straightened. "Alright."

Jareth's hand resting on Sarah's breezed quickly and lightly up her arm, around behind her shoulders to stop, and then he crouched down. His other hand came to rest for only a second on her knee, then the back of that hand swept under both her knees and turned so his hand had a secure grip on the far side of her legs. "There. Go ahead and put your arms around me." He said simply, and the woman blushed. Sarah reached for him, and Jareth fought to keep his heart steady as her fingers searched for his chest. Her hands flattened against his poet's shirt, and feeling the fabric for a fraction of a second, they then traveled up to his narrow shoulders.

The collection of ruffles around his neck fluttered when her hands passed by them and she clasped her hands together behind his neck. Adjusting his grip and stance, Jareth asked, "Are you ready?" and Sarah murmured a yes. With great care Jareth lifted Sarah into his arms, and stood up.

Sarah was incredibly light, and Jareth's eyebrows rose high at this. She felt thin as well. Had she not been eating well? He frowned at this but was pulled from his thoughts when the guardian whined, which translated to the King into. "Is the Lady well?" Jareth looked down to see the guardian was waking up.

The Guardian, in the form of a large wooden wolf, was made of mahogany colored wood, streaked with gold. The animal came almost to Sarah's waist in height, and had a peaceful, often reassuring, expression; meant to comfort others. He looked in every respect to be a large wolf-but if one were to stand before the magical animal, they would see the clear wood pattern in the fur and across the creature's body. The animal yawned enormously and got to his feet, blinking his wooden eyes wide and shaking his furry wooden head. The fur like hundreds of tiny toothpicks, rattled faintly together, and Jareth smiled at the wolf. Sarah's head moved toward the Guardian when she heard him whine.

Jareth replied to the wolf's concerned inquiry. "Yes." He inclined his head at the doors, casting his eyes at them as well. "Will you open the doors for us please, Guardian?"

Guardian yipped a, "Yes." then trotted off helpfully toward the library doors. Jareth made his way around Sarah's armchair just as her head was turning back to face him.

"Did we wake the Guardian up?" Sarah asked, an apology in her voice.

Jareth's love for the woman in his arms increased at the reminder of how kind she was towards those around her-in this case her concern for the Guardian. Jareth's response was gentle as he attempted to put her at ease. "Not at all. He sensed we were leaving, and woke up to see how you were doing." His work to reassure her was successful, and she relaxed a little in his arms at his words.

"What did he say?" She asked curiously, and Jareth replied a moment later.

"He asked if you were well, I told him you were, and he said 'yes' when I asked him to open the library doors for us." Jareth's eyes sought out the wolf as he was finishing speaking. The Guardian had arrived at the doors, and once there, jumped at one. The door rattled quietly, as he disappeared into the wood. The guardian became a thinly carved image amongst the carved landscape on the door, where a depiction of a field of wildflowers lay. A breeze picked up on the field as he did, making the flowers and grass sway as though startled by his appearance. Guardian took advantage of the scenery and ran around merrily in the field, making the plants sway as he did. The doors opened fully and stopped and the wolf came running back. He hopped out of the door again as though this was completely normal for him. Which, in truth, it was. He could travel from any door in the kingdom to another-if it were made of wood-making it easy for him to be there for those who needed help.

"Thank you, Guardian." Jareth told the wolf, who bowed his head in response.

"You're welcome, Master!" He moved to the side to make room for his master and their guest.

"Close and lock the doors, Guardian. The last thing I need are goblins in the library." The Guardian stepped back into the same door, and they swayed shut and locked. The wolf hopped back out of the door, looking a little pleased with himself. Jareth nodded his head up the hallway. "Thank you. Lead the way to the east guest suite, please." He told the wooden animal, who wagged his tail and began down the hall, happy to be of service.

As they walked down the hallway, Sarah eventually asked Jareth a question. "What does he look like?" Jareth glanced down at her, his breath breezing over her arm, before he looked up the hall at the Guardian, realizing that's whom she meant. "The Guardian, I mean." Sarah added for clarification, verifying his thoughts.

"He is made from a mahogany-like tree that grows here in the Labyrinth, and he is similar in height to your arctic wolf. I added a few accents of gold to him as part of the spell," Jareth said. Conspiratorily, he bent his head down to speak lower to Sarah so that the Guardian wouldn't overhear him, "but really I just thought it looked nice." Sarah laughed quietly and the king grinned at the sound.

"He sounds lovely."

Jareth nodded, agreeing. "He's one of my best creations-not just for his looks-I put a great deal of work into him so he would be helpful and calming to others." Jareth sobered, studying the Guardian briefly before bringing his eyes back to Sarah. "I'm glad that you like him."

They arrived at the east guest suite, and the Guardian opened the doors for them. The three came into a small sitting room off of the bedroom, separated by a pair of double doors. The room was furnished with comfortable furniture and had two large windows that offered views of the castle's vast garden, placed on either side of a cozy fireplace. The Guardian swept through the room at a trot, sniffing things to be certain all was safe and in order. Satisfied it was, the wolf came and settled down to sit at the end of one of two of the low couches, away from the fire. With great care Jareth set Sarah on that same low couch, at the opposite end nearest the fireplace, where she could keep warm. As he did this he noticed her feet again, and once she was settled, he knelt and swept the hand that'd been under her knees down to the base of one of her feet and cradled it carefully between his hands. It was still sticky from the tea. "Your feet are dirty from the tea. May I wash them?" He asked, and Sarah blushed, offering a shy nod.

"Yes. Thank you."

His lips curved up warmly. "I'll fetch some water. I won't be but a moment." Jareth placed his hand lightly on hers in reassurance, then went into the bedroom and from there to the bathroom connected by an ornate door. The bathrooms of the castle were all modern in plumbing, the same as in Sarah's world. He'd added it shortly after the idea was brought into being, and had it updated accordingly as the human world updated theirs. Jareth was immensely grateful for it, especially now when he couldn't conjure warm water by himself. Jareth filled a low, wide bowl with warm water and gathered a jasmine scented soap, contained in a small crystal decanter, and two soft towels.

Bringing the items back to Sarah, he set it out carefully before her. As he did, he remembered her shoes and how her hands were likely to be just as sticky as her feet. "Let's wash the tea off of your hands first before we begin on your feet." Sarah nodded, and Jareth instructed her to hand him her shoes. She did, and he set them on the ground beside the couch.

Jareth used one towel, getting half of it wet to delicately wash Sarah's hands, and then used the other half to dry them. Once they were clean he moved on to her feet, using the other towel. He paused part way through washing her feet when she squeaked and squirmed abruptly, her foot half pulling out of his hands. Alarmed, Jareth looked sharply up at her. "Sarah, what's wrong? Did I hurt you?"

Sarah let out a laugh she'd been trying to hold back. "No-I'm fine!" Jareth's eyebrows rose high. Had he tickled her? A look at her face told him as much, for she was trying desperately not to smile. A mischievous twinkle entered his eyes and an equally mischievous smile adorned his lips.

"Oh?" Jareth asked casually, slowly sliding the bowl out of range of her feet. "Are you certain?" Sarah nodded hurriedly, and Jareth hummed as though bewildered, though his smile was growing. "Because I could have sworn..." He put emphasis on the last word, drawing it out as he directed the soapy towel to the arch of her foot, not yet touching it, before he continued speaking. "...I had tickled you."

Sarah's face reddened and she shook her head in the negative.

"No? Hm. My mistake." He said, and just as Sarah began to relax, he swept the corner of the soapy towel up the center of her foot.

Sarah squeaked again and laughed, clapping one hand over her mouth. "Jareth!" She squeaked between her fingers, her face aflame.

Jareth tickled her foot again, making her squirm as he replied in a calm tone that suggested he was merely discussing the state of the weather, and not the fact that he was slightly tickle-torturing his guest. "Yes, dear Sarah?"

"Stop! It does tickle!" She cried amidst giggles, and Jareth ceased his playful tickling with a laugh.

As she recovered from her smiling, red faced state, Jareth apologized. "Apologies. I discovered after hearing your delightful laugh, that I wanted to hear it again." He moved the bowl of water back beneath her foot and went on washing it, noting how her face grew red again. He finished with both her feet, even washing a little higher where the tea splashed her legs. Once finished, Jareth gathered the items he'd brought from the bathroom and put them away. Afterwards he returned to Sarah. "The wardrobe I spoke of is in the bedroom," The king began. "I will have to help you operate it, but after I will leave you to change. Is that agreeable to you?"

Sarah nodded a yes, and Jareth turned to the Guardian. "Guardian, take Lady Sarah's shoes to the laundry, please. Have them cleaned quickly and returned." The wolf came fully to his feet and approached Jareth, who handed the shoes to the animal in such a way that the Guardian held them in his mouth by the laces. The wooden creature ducked his head in a wolfish bow and then trotted off, hopping through the doors.

Sarah frowned after him in bewilderment, likely at the lack of sound of the doors opening and shutting. "Did Guardian leave?" She queried.

Jareth glanced between Sarah and the doors and answered her query. "Yes. He can pass magically through wooden doors-it's how he gets from one place to another so quickly. It is so he can assist others in the kingdom who might be farther away." Jareth explained, and Sarah's eyes widened.

"That's incredible!" She breathed, and Jareth hummed in agreement.

"It has been an extremely helpful method, so I'm told."

Jareth helped Sarah to stand, then laced her hand through his arm to lead her to the guest bedroom. The room was large, holding an enormous four poster bed with matching bedside tables, a vanity and a wardrobe, and double doors that opened onto a high railed terrace looking down on the gardens. Jareth helped Sarah to sit on the edge of the bed, then turned and approached the wardrobe.

Stopping beside it, Jareth spun on his heel to face her and clasped his hands behind his back. "Now, dear Sarah, what is it you would like to wear?" He inclined his head at the wardrobe and explained. "This wardrobe can create whatever you desire-though it does best with familiar designs. Dresses, and the like. In this instance you might desire a dress and matching slippers."

Looking a bit intimidated, Sarah timidly asked. "So what do I do?"

Seeing her discomfort, Jareth spoke soothingly. "It's simpler than you imagine, you needn't worry." Sarah seemed a little better, so Jareth pushed onward. "Think of a color, then a design. Think about the details. Green silk, crystal beading, elegant lace…" Jareth approached her one step at a time as he trailed off. Watching the wheels turning in her head and hoping his suggestions would prove helpful to her, he came to a stop beside her.

"I think I've got it." Sarah said, seeming confident.

"Excellent." Jareth said. "Now, in order for the wardrobe to work, the one designing the clothes, must be the one to open it. Shall we?" Sarah lifted her hand and Jareth took it tenderly in his. Guiding her to the wardrobe, he placed her hand on the handle and urged. "There, try it now."

Sarah seemed to be focusing, and then at last she opened the wardrobe. Inside hung an elegant but modest emerald green gown. It was an off-the-shoulder gown, with a sweetheart neckline and lightly bead embellished bust. Long sleeves stayed close to the wearer's arms, and would come to points on the back of the lady's hands. The beads themselves were iridescent, the majority occupying the bust of the gown. Sarah would say the design was 'similar to sleeping beauty's dress', if she was asked to give an example. Beneath it on the wardrobe floor, sat two dainty ballet flats that matched the dress perfectly. Jareth was surprised yet secretly pleased that she'd chosen some of the details he'd offered. The king had hoped she'd take his suggestions to heart, and by looking at the outfit, it was clear she had. The color was her favorite, he knew, so he couldn't take too much credit. Jareth smiled at Sarah as she turned hesitantly toward him.

"Did it work?"

"It did." The blonde man stepped closer to both the wardrobe and Sarah. "Here, allow me to get them for you." Sarah moved a couple steps to one side and Jareth retrieved the dress and shoes. Closing the wardrobe doors, he hung the dress by its hanger from the top of the wardrobe and held the shoes in one hand, then led her hand to the dress.

"What do you think?"

Sarah ran her fingers delicately over the beads on the dress, her eyes growing larger the longer she spent inspecting the magic-made dress, and after it the shoes. "It's just like I imagined..." She whispered, then turned to face Jareth. "Jareth, it's beautiful. Thank you for this." Ruby lips curved up into a smile, and Jareth's heart swelled with warmth as he returned the expression.

"Of course, Sarah."

Their moment was cut to an abrupt end by the nearby clock as it chimed the hour, and Jareth's smile fell away.

Sarah heard it, too, and her own happy smile faded, being replaced with sadness. Jareth was surprised at it. Was it possible Sarah was beginning to enjoy herself? She'd seemed cheerful enough until the clock sounded the hour, reminding them of the circumstances.

Reminding them that she'd be leaving soon.

A swirl of emotions churned in Jareth's gut, and he glared at the clock, his lips twisting bitterly. They both knew that soon this would be over. Sarah would return home, and Jareth would be alone.

Sarah broke the agonizing silence between them by holding up part of the dress with a big smile-putting on a brave face for both of them. "I think I'd like to wear this."

Offering a thin smile, Jareth replied, "Very good. I will guide you back to the bed. You can put your clothes on it for the maid to tend to, and I will wait just outside while you change. Call me if you need anything." Sarah agreed, and Jareth's bitter mood was lifted ever so slightly by how excited she once more began to appear. Jareth led and left her at the bed, excusing himself to the sitting room where he'd wait until she called him. Jareth settled, feeling restless, on the couch opposite the one where Sarah had been sitting. Staring at the spot she had occupied, he waxed pensive, thinking about his next move. He'd have to tell her soon. Before the boy arrived. A grimace took over his expression and he stood with a huff.

"How is that boy doing, anyway?" He wondered aloud, and made a motion to conjure a crystal. He could manage as much, anything more elaborate would have to wait. Jareth peered into the crystal and his eyebrows rose. Seth had somehow gotten help from the mermaids-the mermaid princess, no less-and now he and his friends were inside the lake swimming in the direction of the mermaid palace. Jareth frowned in agitation and thought rapidly ahead. The only way from the lake to his castle, was through a tunnel at the bottom of the lake. They'd discover it through researching the queen's library, he had no doubt, and then they'd be on their way here. Jareth had two hours, maybe three if he planned their route for them.

Jareth turned the crystal in his hand and gazed into a small underwater tunnel. The tunnel eventually split in two directions, with one tunnel blocked by a movable cover. If moved, it would close off the opposite tunnel. With the way it was now, Seth had a clear shot to the castle, while the covered tunnel led to a well just outside Helga's camp. Jareth concentrated hard on the image before him and breathed deeply. Lifting one hand, he made a pointing gesture as though he were moving something across a flat surface, and pushed. The cover budged an inch, and nearby the Guardian returned by hopping in through the door. Jareth heard, but was too busy to offer a greeting. He had to focus. He pressed harder, and the cover slid gradually open. The water split, trying to get through both tunnels at once, and making it more difficult for Jareth. With a final shove, Jareth moved the cover to block the opposite tunnel, and the water changed directions fully, powering up the second tunnel that led to Helga's well. Lowering his hand, Jareth promptly leaned back into the couch, and the crystal vanished. The Guardian whined and came up to him at once, placing his paws on Jareth's knee and leaning toward him to closely study his face.

"Master, you've used too much magic. You need to sleep or eat to replenish yourself." The Guardian said with solemn knowledgeability.

Jareth looked hard at the animal before his expression eased and he gave a wry chuckle. "You're worse than my own mother, Guardian." The Guardian still looked worried, and Jareth sighed and reached out to scratch behind the animal's ear. The wolf leaned toward the hand and listened with rapt attention as his master spoke. "And just like her, you're always right." Jareth tipped his head toward the guest bedroom. "I won't leave Lady Sarah, and I've no time to sleep…"

Jareth wondered briefly what to do, and remembered something. "Guardian, go fetch my healing elixir from my study. There's an emergency flask of it on the lowest shelf of the bookcase. Hurry." Waving the wolf off, the Guardian at once bounded for the door and jumped inside. Jareth closed his eyes tiredly in the meantime and rubbed his temples. He was powerful, certainly, but the amount of magic used today was pushing it. Being as out of practice in healing magic as he was, it was taking its toll on him. But it was infinitely worth it to him to keep Sarah happy and healthy.

The Guardian returned shortly with a small brown leather flask and brought it at once to the king. Murmuring a thank you, Jareth sat up, unstoppered the flask, and gulped down the entire contents. Within seconds his coloring was better, and he didn't seem at all tired as he had before. Placing his paws once more on Jareth's knee, the wolf stared shrewdly at his master until he seemed fully recovered.

At last Jareth breathed deeply and replaced the flask's stopper, looking and feeling a great deal better. Holding the flask out to his helpful creation, Jareth told the Guardian, "Thank you. Go ahead and put this on my desk so I'll remember to refill it later." Taking the flask in his mouth, the wolf ducked his head in a bow then turned and trotted off toward the door. There wasn't as much of a need to hurry, now his master was well again. Before he'd gotten far, Jareth remembered the tunnel and Helga, and stopped the wolf. "Wait!" The Guardian at once halted and turned to face his king. "After you put that away, go and tell Witch Helga that the Runner will be arriving through her well, instead of the previously planned route. She'll be cross with me if she doesn't have fair warning." Nodding his head, the wolf turned and dashed through the door.

"Jareth, I'm ready!"

Sarah's muffled voice sounded through the door from the bedroom, and Jareth came to his feet. Going to the door, he took hold of the handle and paused to take a deep breath. Exhaling, he opened the door. Jareth's cheeks gained a little more color at the sight of her. Sarah stood at the end of the bed where he'd left her, though she'd taken hold of the bedpost and turned herself to face the direction of the door, waiting for him to come in. She looked lovely-certainly lovelier than any woman he'd ever seen. The dress fit perfectly, as he'd expected, and the color complimented her eyes, like he'd hoped. It was also more apparent how thin Sarah was, and this made Jareth ill at ease. She'd managed to braid her ebony hair to one side, and it fell over one shoulder.

"Jareth?" Sarah's brow wrinkled in uncertainty, her hand clenching around the bedpost. In seeing this, Jareth moved forward and spoke in gentle reassurance.

"I'm here, Sarah. I haven't left you."

Sarah relaxed, and her radiant smile seemed to light up the room as she stretched one hand out to him. "What do you think? Did it turn out well?"

Closing the distance between them, Jareth took up Sarah's hand and pressed his lips to the back of it, replying warmly.

"You are as perfect as ever, Sarah."

* * *

A/N: Was the "Tickle-torture" scene too much? (Side note: "Tickle-torture" is what my nephew would call a sudden attack of tickles when he was little. Only, because of his accent, it came out as: "Teeckle Torchya". We don't really apply the phrase while applying the tickles anymore, but it was cute/funny at the time.) Anywho, review and let me know what you think! If anything is amiss, let me know and I'll fix it. Thanks oodles and gobs, guys! You're all lovely! :)


	13. Chapter 13: A Pot of Stew

A/N: Before I say anything else, I'd like to say a belated rest in peace to David Bowie-a great musician, singer, songwriter, actor, and an inspiration to so many. He passed away on January 10th, 2016 of liver cancer, after a secret 18-month battle. His family was there at his side when he passed. We love you, David Bowie, rest in peace. 3

A/N: Next I'd like to apologize for my long hiatus. I've been busy writing the new 'Goblins', and dealing with life in general. I haven't forgotten this story, no worries! I actually have quite a bit of it written out, just haven't had time to finalize the chapters. Anyway, I'm glad you guys liked the last chapter. Here's chapter thirteen, I hope you like it! I enjoyed writing it. Thank you for reading!

Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth.

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Blind

Chapter Thirteen: A Pot of Stew

* * *

The way to the mermaid palace was long, and Seth worried more than once about the time. Eventually they came over a rise and deep below they could see an enormous spiraling building that looked to be made up of coral. It had to be several stories high. It sat at the bottom of a valley filled with other coral-like structures.

Lyra led them through seaweed as big around and three times as tall as Seth was. They were well camouflaged, which was unsurprising, considering how much of the watery plant there was. The group came around behind the castle, using the watery plant for cover and avoiding the guards that grew plentiful the closer to the palace they came. A village of sorts lay before the palace, where other merpeople appeared to be selling wares on the streets before shops. Around the shops were small homes made of coral and rock. Many seemed to even be under the lake bed, with low web-like domes above, giving them light but still allowing privacy.

Eventually the three dove down into the valley and worked their way through a strange lake garden of different colored coral and rocks, many bearing strange flowered or unflowered plants and the occasional sea anemone. Seth found some of the more obvious sea creatures and plants in the lake to be a little odd, and he could only assume they had adapted to lake life. He'd have to remember to ask Lyra about it later.

In a garden against the back of the palace was a tight ring of coral, with barely enough room for the three within it. They managed to squeeze through an opening at the bottom, and Lyra ducked down to a small webbed dome looking down on an enormous room. Even with their excellent vantage point, they couldn't begin to see all of it. Putting a finger to her lips to tell them to be quiet, Lyra lifted up, and slid away the surprisingly removable dome. When Seth looked closer, he realized that the webbing had been cut away as though someone had taken a blade and sawed it apart. It was surprisingly well done, and not obvious until removed.

Lyra turned to them and spoke. Only, her mouth didn't open. Instead, the gills lining her neck opened wider whenever she spoke. Seth stared and La's eyes widened as Lyra's musical, echoing-though faint-voice explained. "This is our library. I am going to find the book I mentioned. When I have found the route we need, I will come back."

Seth opened his mouth to speak, and when water rushed in, he clamped it shut again. Lyra lifted a hand to still him while he blew the water back out in a near panic and breathed deeply through his temporary gills. "Speak with your mouth closed, exhaling at the same time through your borrowed gills. The sound will come out through them." Seth nodded and tried again, this time with his mouth shut.

"What if you don't come back?"

Lyra's eyebrows lifted and then curved over now mischievous eyes, and Seth blushed when a smile just as mischievous took up her lips in a crooked smile. "I will come back. If I do not come back this way, it will be through the gardens, the way we came in. Stay here, and do not make a sound." Lyra slipped down into the hole and replaced the webbed dome. Giving them one last look, she sank slowly into the room below and then dove casually down towards the floor. She sang quietly to herself, and Seth could only just hear it. Her voice was beautiful-more so than anyone he'd ever known. They watched as Lyra came to a row of podium-like structures. Words like a list were engraved on each, and she searched three before seeming to find what she was looking for. Lyra looked around at the room, then disappeared from their sight when she swam away.

The two friends waited in anxious silence, and at last Lyra returned. She had on a small satchel that looked to be made out of seaweed, and was decorated with different colored pieces of seaglass. Lyra was halfway to them when a voice called to her, stopping her where she floated. They saw her face pale a little before she put on a smile and turned to face the newcomer. "Lyra, have you been here all this time? Why are you not practicing your harp? These skills are important-"

"'-for finding a husband.'" Lyra returned politely-though there was a barely noticeable, anxious undertone to it. "Yes, I remember, mother." She ducked her head humbly in a small bow. A woman swam into view, and it was very obvious that she was Lyra's mother. Lyra looked just like her, though the mermaid queen Arisa's eyes were a dark seaweed green. Arisa's head was adorned with a simple strand of pearls. They began by draping across her forehead, and then went down the back of her head to crisscross and thread intricately through her long hair. Another set of pears hung in rows, close at first around her neck, and then traveling down to about her mid-upper arm.

Her dark eyes were narrowed in disapproval. "Then what is it you are doing here?"

Lyra shrugged her shoulders innocently and gestured behind her at the library. "Looking for more music. The pieces I have now have become tedious. I desired something merrier." Arisa raised an eyebrow, and Lyra went hurriedly on to explain. "I thought perhaps a future husband would like something merrier."

Arisa's expression eased into a relieved smile. "And were you able to find any?" Lyra shook her head in the negative, seeming disappointed.

"No, not yet. I am going to continue to look." She gestured down at her satchel. "I brought my satchel to carry the new music in once I find some."

The queen gave a pleased nod and half turned away. "Very well. When you have finished, I expect you to be practicing in the music room when next I visit you."

"Yes, mother." Lyra replied with a more pronounced bow of her head, and the queen left. Lyra stayed in place only a moment longer, then swam as casually as she had before, back up to the webbed dome she'd snuck through.

"That was close." La sighed as Lyra slipped out of the hole, and the princess sent her a dark look that surprised them. "You have no idea." Lyra said, then sat on the garden floor while Seth replaced the webbed cover, and the princess adjusted her bag against her shoulder.

Lyra looked a bit grim as she next spoke. "But nevermind my mother. I have the map. We should go before she discovers I lied to her." Lyra led them back out of the gardens the way they came-having to take alternative paths twice because of the changing of the guards. Once they were out of the city and amongst the seaweed, Lyra took a small tablet from her bag and showed it to her friends.

On the tablet was a series of words like directions and a curving line on one side that had another line branching off of it, becoming two paths. Lyra pointed out the words and one of the pathways as she spoke. "We are to go to the twin rocks, then to follow the tunnel beyond it. It eventually makes two paths-the path on the left is the one we want." With this plan in mind, they began their journey to the tunnel. Along the way, Seth noticed Lyra glancing back on occasion toward her home, guilt in her eyes.

When he asked what was bothering her, Lyra's eyes snapped to his before she peered ahead of them firmly. "I have never seen my mother so pleased with me before. I feel guilty for deceiving her." Lyra refused to say more on the subject, instead pressing them to move faster. She never looked back at the palace after that.

The twin rocks were two towering pillar-like rocks of nearly exact heights, only just peeking up over the enormous seaweed. The tunnel looked ordinary enough-dark-but ordinary. Coming into the entrance of it, Seth stopped them. "It's pitch black in there! How are we supposed to see where we're going?"

Lyra gave a dazzling smile, a sparkle in her eye. "Do not worry. I am prepared." Facing the tunnel, Lyra gestured at it. "Merkin-you call us Merfolk-sing as much as we do for more than just our enjoyment and the enjoyment of others." She faced them again, explaining further. "The music touches things around us and returns, telling is where things are and are not. We use it to travel. Often in our homes when the light is not available. Some of the sea creatures we adopted into the lake can glow, but they are not always reliable. Through our singing, we can see clearer."

Seth's eyes lit up. "Like sonar!"

Lyra's brow wrinkled in confusion, and Seth hurried to elaborate when he saw her face, his own flushing in embarrassment. "I mean that's what we call it-my people-we call it sonar. Some animals use it, and so do our submarines-er-our underwater boats." Lyra's forehead cleared of lines in understanding.

"I see. It is similar." She said, and Seth nodded.

La interrupted then, sounding the tiniest bit irritable. "We should hurry. It's hard to tell how long we've been down here."

Seth, realizing she was right, looked to the mermaid princess. "La's right. What do we do now?"

Lyra inclined her head at the tunnel and held out her hand to Seth. "I hold your hand, and you hold the rabchilla's. I will sing to the tunnel, and guide us safely through." The boy looked to the tunnel. If she had done this as often as she claimed, there shouldn't be any problem.

"Alright."

Holding each other's hands, the princess straightened and her expression turned almost sorrowful as she faced the darkness before them. With a beautiful bell-like voice, Lyra began softly singing to the tunnel. Seth and La watched her, Seth particularly keeping a close eye on her, his face gaining a darker shade of pink the more she sang. La, however, was less than impressed, and in seeing Seth's awe, her lips turned in a slight frown, her fishy tail lashing the water in irritation. Tugging on Seth's hand, Lyra began into the darkness.

Seth wasn't sure how much time had passed. It was hard to think about anything else with Lyra's beautiful voice serenading them as they went along in the tunnel. The only thing he had as a reassurance was Lyra's delicate hand around his, and he couldn't help thinking how terrifying it would be if she were to let go. So he held on tight, determined to keep focused on keeping up with her and not letting go of La. Seth thought about the rabchilla. She hadn't said much during their journey in the lake, and Seth wondered why that was. He assumed that it had to do with her being a land animal-and being underwater was unsettling. Seth didn't have time to think further on it, because Lyra stopped singing, and brought them all to a halt.

"This is wrong," She began in confusion.

"What is?" Seth questioned.

Lyra pulled them a little further up the tunnel, and he heard something tapping on metal. "The tunnel to the castle is blocked by a metal door of some kind."

La's worried voice squeaked in the dark. "Can we move it?"

Lyra was silent, and Seth's hand around hers was pulled to one side and then the other as Lyra swam around in front of the door, no doubt inspecting it. "There is a place we can hold onto it to move it. I will need your help, Seth." Seth blushed, and was grateful that she couldn't see it.

"Right." He said, his voice deeper than usual. Swimming to her side, he hesitated. "What about La?"

He felt Lyra shrug. "She can put her arms around your neck. Then she will not get lost." Seth and La managed this, almost like he was giving her a piggy back ride. For once during their lake trip, La did not seem to mind too much. She seemed quite content hanging onto Seth, her rabchilla chin resting just at the place where his neck met his shoulder. Seth was a little less comfortable with her tight grip, but if it made her feel safe and kept her safe, he supposed he could endure it a little while.

Lyra guided Seth's hand to the place she'd mentioned on the metal door. "I think we must slide it." She said, and they pulled. The door didn't budge at first, but then it began to slide. Lyra let out a cry of success, but that was a mistake. A violent humming came off of the metal door, and La tucked her face against Seth's back, frightened. The sound was accompanied by an equally violent vibration, and their hands were shaken off.

Now they had let go of the door, it slammed back into place, and the water in the tunnel began to flow, slowly at first, and then with more urgency. Lyra and Seth clutched the sides of the tunnel to stay put, but the water pressure became too much, and they were pulled from the wall and sucked into the second tunnel. There was a metal bang in the distance, and the water abruptly stopped. The metal door must have blocked their way back. A sinking feeling entered Seth's gut, and the group did nothing but breath heavily, too tired and afraid to do much else.

Lyra spoke up. "The water feels lighter here." She trailed off, and Seth felt her swim by, and then actually saw her silhouette as she went further down the tunnel and stopped. "It is lighter-and there is an opening ahead."

Seth and La hurried after her. At first when Lyra had said that the water was lighter, Seth thought she had meant that there was more light. But he realized as he swam that while that was true, the water also felt lighter. It wasn't as hard to swim as it had been when they were in the deeper parts of the lake. Even the tunnel before this one had felt heavy. But this felt more like the weight of a swimming pool.

Going on together, they came to an opening that looked like it was made of several stones cemented together. It was a ragged arch, and when they swam through it, it became clear they were in a well of some kind. Several minutes passed, the light growing brighter and brighter and causing them to blink rapidly at the change. The water, too, changed and grew warmer. They broke the water's surface, coming in contact with frigid air, and each gasped at the cold. A look around and above showed there was no way to get out of the well. How were they to get out of it?

"Goodness!" Exclaimed an accented, echoey old voice. The group looked up startled at the distant face of a very old woman. "Three young people in the well?" The travelers exchanged wary glances even as she waved away her own words. "Goodness, here I stand talking your ears off while you three catch your deaths in this old well!" She turned and began cranking a handle on the side of the well. A bucket nearly twice as big as La swayed into sight, was stilled by her wrinkled hand, before the bucket was then lowered down to them. All the while she called instructions. "The girls are to come up first, then the boy after."

The group exchanged a look, and Seth whispered. "Should we trust her?" Lyra's eyes flit up briefly to the woman.

"I do not think we are in much of a position to turn her down. Going back the way we came is impossible, now." The princess replied grimly, and Seth frowned seriously.

"Then we don't have a choice." He took a shallow breath. "If we get up there and don't feel comfortable around her, we can make a run for it."

La added. "We probably should try to figure out where the castle is first from her, before we do decide to run." The others looked surprised by her good suggestion and La looked bashful. At last they exchanged a look of agreement. They would go up, take in the situation, and decide whether or not they would need to run.

Lyra got into the bucket without complaint once the decision was made, her tail changing to legs as she settled in. But La looked nervous.

"Can't I go with you?" She begged Seth, casting a mildly distasteful glance at Lyra. The princess lifted an eyebrow but otherwise didn't respond.

The old woman called down, her tone firm. "You girls are lighter than he is. If you and the boy go together, the bucket will not hold you."

La glowered at the water and Seth smiled apologetically. "I'll be right behind you, La." He assured her.

At last La agreed grumpily. "Fine." La took off the seaweed from around her neck and waist, the gills fading and her legs returning to her. Lyra and Seth jointly helped her into the bucket, where La sat between Lyra and the bucket with a sulky frown. Lyra glanced at Seth and then gave the back of the rabchilla's head a look of realization.

Bewildered by the look, Seth internally shook his head, thinking, "Women!" and feeling exasperated by their odd behavior. Would he ever understand them?

The woman above called down. "Are you ready?" The girls nodded and Seth hollered up. "They're ready!" The woman replied, "Hold tight!" and vanished from sight, presumably to turn the handle that brought up the bucket. Seth helped steady the bucket to keep it from swinging or tipping, up until it was too high for him to reach. He pressed his back up against the well wall to watch their progress. They made it to the top, where the old woman helped them out. Seth had a brief moment of worry when he didn't hear anything, but then Both Lyra and the stranger looked down.

"We made it! We will send the bucket down to you now!" Lyra called, and the bucket was again lowered.

Seth removed the seaweed aids and his gills and tail vanished. He had an odd feeling of displacement that passed quickly, and then the boy climbed into the bucket. He emerged moments later to find both Lyra and La shivering and wrapped in thick blankets. He was grateful to the woman for her kindness, and his suspicion of her eased away slightly. Someone so kind would surely help them. Helping him off the surprising tall well wall, the woman handed him a thick dull blanket, and he wrapped it around himself. "There now. Let's get you poor things by the fire and some hot soup in you. I have made some chicken stew I am sure you will love." She herded the unprotesting group to the largest tent out of a ring of tents. They could see a column of smoke protruding from the top of the tent, and from inside wafted the most delicious smell.

They entered, and a wave of heat enveloped them. A large pot hung simmering above a fire at the center of the structure, and the old woman led them to large luxurious cushions settled in a half circle around it. "Now. Sit and tell me your names and how you came to be in my well, while I get you some soup."

The three sat after a moment's hesitation, sinking into the warm cushions. They could have been clouds, they were so soft and deep and warm from the fire. Dozing almost at once, Seth sat up and fought to keep himself awake. "Er-thank you. I'm Seth," He gestured at his friends with a finger poking out of his blanket. "That's Lyra and La-but we can't stay very long."

The woman cast an amused look over her shoulder at him and approached the pot with three wooden bowls in hand. "Young men are always in such a hurry." It was more her muttering to herself than to them, but they still heard her. One of the bowls was already full of fresh fruits and vegetables, and this she gave to an excited La.

"Thank you!" The rabchilla cried gratefully, her ears flying up as she cradled the bowl and immediately began to eat. "You are very welcome, small one." The old woman replied with a cheerful chuckle. Filling the other two bowls with soup, she gave them to Lyra and Seth and handed them a spoon each. The two both offered thanks to her, and Seth again mentioned that they couldn't stay long.

"Yes, I know. You are this Labyrinth's Runner." She waved away his look of surprise and chuckled. Moving to hang a tea kettle beside the pot of stew, she then sat in a comfortable chair on the other side of the fire, across from them. "A human in the Labyrinth rarely means anything else." The old woman then pointed at herself. "I am called Helga, one of the good witches of the Labyrinth." She dipped her head in a modest bow, then smiled warmly at them.

"Witch?" La's head snapped up and she squeaked fearfully around a mouth and cheeks full of carrot and apple. Her soaked ears fell behind her head, alert. Helga's smile turned kinder as she addressed La.

"Yes, small one. But a very good witch. I make most medicines used in the Labyrinth."

La's eyes widened in recognition and her ears relaxed. "Oh! That Witch Helga!" Helga chortled. "Yes, indeed." Reassured by this, La went on eating her food. "That is very good of you." Lyra offered, and Helga chuckled.

"Thank you, dear. I do what I can." The tea kettle whistled a sweet tune, surprising the guests, but Helga smiled. "Ah, the tea's ready."

Coming again to her feet, she walked toward the back of the tent. She returned with four wooden cups and a small wooden box. Returning to her chair, Helga looked around her seat with a brow increasing with wrinkles. "Now where did that silly table go? It tends to wander." She added to her guests in way of explanation, at their bewildered expressions. "Ah! There you are!" Her eyes were fixed on a spot behind Seth, and her eyebrows rose high as she made a 'come here' motion with a finger. For one bewildered moment, Seth thought she was talking to him, but a sound behind him dissuaded that thought. A rattling drew Seth's eyes to the source, and he jumped as a little ornate table waddled by, looking like a bizarre sort of penguin in the way it tried to walk. "Very good!" She praised the table like a small child as it stopped by her side, and the furniture seemed quite pleased with its success, tilting up towards her. "You are improving! Now, sit still while I make our tea, please. Thank you." The table settled as she asked it to, and she placed the tea things on it. She didn't seem to notice the gaping expressions of her guests.

The good witch was quick to add herbs to a mesh sack that she then tied shut and added to the tea kettle, then let it sit off to the side until it was ready before serving it. "They are very helpful." Helga said, and explained the table and various things in her home that had been enchanted to assist her.

"The fire grows low." Helga commented frowningly, eyeing the logs before speaking to Seth. "Will you help me gather wood from the wood pile outside?" Seth agreed, coming to his feet and finding he was mostly dry. The two stepped out, Helga leading the way.

It became quiet after they left, almost tense. Lyra nibbled silently at her soup, and cast a sideways look at her furry traveling companion. Setting the near empty bowl on the ground, Lyra gazed down at La. "I do not like Seth more than a friend," She said it firmly, and her expression turned sympathetic when La froze, her ear closest to Lyra turning to hear the mermaid better. "but I know that you do." Lyra paused to let La process her words. The rabchilla's ears sank in embarrassment, and she hunched down in her blanket until only her nose and eyes were visible.

"Is it that obvious?" La's muffled voice sadly responded.

"Only to myself." The princess assured her friend. "I do not think Seth has noticed." Lyra wrapped the blanket closer around herself and gazed into the fire. "Will you tell him?"

La's eyes grew enormous in mortification as she gaped at the princess. "No!" She cried, then ducked her head in apology. "Sorry…" The mermaid nodded in acceptance of the apology, and her brow furrowed. "That would be best. You must be careful you are not confusing kindness with love. You will find sadness follows quickly behind." Lyra gently warned her friend, resting a compassionate hand on La's back. The rabchilla's head sunk lower, and she rubbed at one of her eyes with a sniff. "Ok. I won't tell him." She promised Lyra. But more than anything, it was a promise to herself.

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A/N: What did you guys think? Review to let me know, please! :D Thanks, you're all lovely!

Disclaimer: I really don't own it.


	14. Chapter 14: Shattered

A/N: Chapter Fourteen. Read and let me know what you think. Thanks! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth.

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Blind

Chapter Fourteen: Shattered

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The walk back to the library in Sarah's borrowed dress and silk ballet flats, was cheerful and guided by Jareth and the guardian. The animal remained dutifully at Sarah's side, keeping his head by her hand and quietly whimpering. Sarah felt this behavior was odd; so any time he began to whimper, she'd rub his head with her hand. Jareth, however, was less than pleased with the wooden animal's behavior, even bordering on irritated. Jareth expressed it by his tone as he told the guardian, "Guardian, go open the library doors and lay down by my chair. Really, Guardian, this behavior." he reprimanded. But Jareth sounded more anxious than angry. Why did the guardian's actions upset Jareth so much? The guardian gave a doggy half grumble, half growl, then reluctantly trotted off to do as Jareth told him.

They made it into the library and into their armchairs, Jareth assisting Sarah into hers before settling down near her in his own. "Would you like me to begin reading?" He asked, lifting the enormous book he had found earlier, into his lap. She only knew he'd picked it up, because the teaware on the table rattle quietly, and the slither of the book's leatherbound cover against the wood table sounded as he did.

Sarah smiled, "Yes, please." and settled back into her seat, ready to listen. The story was fantastical-even more wonderful than she had imagined. Gradually Sarah found herself dozing off to Jareth's lilting voice. At last she fell asleep, dreaming of home and of her family, and of the library and of Aaron. She awoke a few minutes later, disorientated and frightened.

"Jareth-?"

"I'm here, Sarah. I haven't left you." Jareth said soothingly, and slid forward in his chair to place his hand on hers. Sarah breathed shakily, and he took up her hand delicately in his. "You're alright, I promise." Sarah relaxed back into her chair, a surprising peace coming over her, making her feel safe.

Jareth leaned forward, and Sarah could feel his hesitation before he even began to speak. "If it would help," He started gently. "you could hold my hand-so that if you fall asleep and later awake again, you'll know that you're not alone." Sarah felt a strange sense of deja vu, and finally she relented. "...Thank you, Jareth."

A gentle smile in his voice, Jareth returned. "Of course, Sarah." Jareth went on reading, Sarah's hand in his. It seemed strange to her, the thought of holding the hand of the man she had once considered a villain. Stranger still, was how perfectly safe she felt, sitting right there beside him. She had closed her eyes after he began to read again, but didn't doze off a second time. A strong part of her was still trying to figure out the odd sense of deja vu from earlier.

After about an hour, Jareth suggested taking a break for lunch, and Sarah agreed, feeling hungry herself. "Thank you again for reading to me." She smiled a little and placed her hand atop of Jareth's where it rested upon the arm of her chair. This seemed oddly familiar to her, though. Off, somehow. Like something she should remember.

"Of course, Sarah." Jareth replied kindly, and then that sense of deja vu fell into place in her mind.

It all reminded her of Aaron.

He had read books to her in his calming, lilting british accent. He used to hold her hand, too, to comfort her when she awoke after dozing off. So she wouldn't wake feeling afraid or alone. Sarah felt cold. Was it possible?... She swallowed down the sick feeling beginning in her stomach.

Casually, Sarah felt gently at Jareth's hand, and her thumb paused as it moved over the same slight scar by his middle knuckle that Aaron had, and her fingers paused before feeling at the silky smoothness of Jareth's palm and fingers. They were soft, but strong. Sarah felt the blood drain from her face. She studied his hand again with more care, focusing on every detail.

Every one was the same as Aaron's. Down to the last detail. Jareth was Aaron. All along, all those days spent reading to her in the library, giving her comfort. All along, it had been Jareth. All that time, he had lied to her.

She couldn't breath.

"Sarah?" Jareth's voice turned concerned when she didn't respond, and he gently took both her hands into his. The very same way Aaron did.

Comfort and repulsion warred violently in her mind, and she shrank back. She felt sick. His voice-something that had sounded so soothing to her mere moments before-was now making her feel quite ill as it implored her. "Sarah, you're trembling! Whatever's the matter?"

"You..." Sarah mumbled the word as everything came together. She struggled momentarily for breath as tears budded in her eyes. She bit her tongue, angry at her tears. With a jerk Sarah pulled her hands free from Jareth's like they'd been burned. Aaron would have been a source of comfort to her then. She could turn to him, hold his hand, and feel safe. But now that safety was gone. It was taken, leaving her with empty air and no one to turn to. She felt stranded, as though in a vast ocean with no land in sight. Her hands turned into fists and she held them close to her chest.

Sarah stood from the armchair in a panic, her legs accidentally knocking over the small table between them when she scrambled to lift herself up. The crystal cups with their half consumed tea shattered on the library's marble floor, sounding more like an explosion in all the silence of the room. Her legs shakily aided her as she whirled around her chair and made her way toward where she thought the doors of the library were. But she turned too soon, and her foot caught on one of the clawed feet of the chair. She tumbled, her fisted knuckles hitting the floor first as she fell. A hiss of pain and a sob escaped her lips before she could stop them. She heard Jareth cry out to her in concern and approach, his boots tapping the marble beneath them as he half ran to her side. He'd been saying her name over and over again all the time she'd been panicking, only making it worse for her. Her heart felt like it had been crushed even as it was trying with vehement fury to escape her chest.

Clenching her jaw, she flushed in anger, determined to ignore both him and the tears that fell down her cheeks. The scent of his ethereal cologne grew stronger as he came closer. His scent was so soothing.

Like Aaron's had been.

She wanted to hit him. She wanted to shout and to sob. Her best friend had turned out to be her brother's kidnapper, and her subsequent tormentor from so many years ago. 'No, that's not fair.' She pursed her lips at the irony of the word. 'He was just doing as I asked. It's my fault all of that happened.' Tears made twin tracks down her cheeks, and Sarah bit her lip to keep from fully crying. She felt the warmth radiating off of Jareth's body and the caress of his breath as he knelt beside her. Sarah stiffened further and turned her head away from him, keep her hands close to her chest as she sat up.

"Sarah-" He began haltingly, then stopped. He shifted beside her and Sarah tensed, unsure what he was doing. He very gently took her shaking hands and moved to one side to face her. But Sarah kept her face turned away, and after he sat silently a moment, Jareth began to examine her hands, gingerly touching them. She winced with an involuntary hiss of pain and silently cursed herself. Jareth hummed in response to her reaction as though she'd vocally told him where her hands hurt. Sarah jumped when she suddenly felt the feathery touch of his hair on her wrists, and the blind woman froze when he placed an equally feathery kiss on both the backs and the palms of her hands.

A ripple of warmth spread out from the places he'd kissed her hands. The pain ebbed away, then was gone. Jareth exhaled across her hands and they cooled, then he straightened back up. Delicately he examined her hands once more and spoke to her. "Are you alright?" Sarah gave a jerking, angry nod, and Jareth sighed in relief. He then spoke gently. "You should be more careful, Sarah. I can't heal all wounds." It wasn't a reprimand, but Sarah was so upset at that moment, that it might as well have been.

She grit her teeth sorrowfully. "I'll be sure to 'look where I'm going' from now on." She snapped, fighting to keep herself in check. The bitterness was heavy in her tone, her throat tightening. Jareth's hold on her hands tightened a little, and she could sense the frown on his lips as he spoke. "That's not funny, Sarah."

Sarah's anger blazed and her control shattered as her head snapped up to face him, her eyes glaring as she tried to take her hands back from him. He held them fast, though, and moved closer to her. Sarah's stomach flipped and her eyes widened in fear. Startled, she sat back, away from him. Her bottom lip trembled and a quiet sob escaped her lips. "How dare you!" She cried, furious tears welling up in her eyes.

Jareth responded in question, surprised and concerned for her. "How dare I what? Sarah, what's wrong?"

Sarah shuddered when he said her name, hearing the voice and recognizing both Aaron and Jareth. The woman took a shaky breath. "I know about the library, about Aaron-about you." She said brokenly, and Jareth froze before her. She went on. "How dare you do this-come into my life after my accident and pretend to be my friend! Pretending to care about me, and making me grow to care for you-!" She stopped abruptly with a red face, and ducked her head away from him. Her chest ached terribly and she wept, eyes clenched shut.

Jareth's hands gripped hers a little tighter-almost convulsing when she nearly confessed her feelings, before they became gentle once more. "I have never pretended to care about you, Sarah. The feelings I have for you are genuine. Please, you must see that." Jareth implored her softly, his thumbs caressing the backs of her hands to comfort her. But this motion meant in comfort only made her feel worse. His voice wavered as he spoke and he sounded so utterly broken. It was like they were in the Escher room all over again. But this time it was harder for both of them.

Jareth continued in whispered agony. He was trying to stay calm, to keep from upsetting her further, but his voice shook from the effort. "Please, Sarah-"

Sarah cut him off raggedly. "No!" She felt light headed and gasped for breath, her hands beginning to feel numb from the shock. "I-I need to be alone!"

Jareth fell silent, and Sarah wasn't sure if she was grateful or regretful for it. A few breathless seconds passed, and Jareth's hands loosened around hers with such care, that it made her physically hurt, all over again. He cared. He cared so much, and yet his betrayal had shattered what trust she had gained in him.

"..Of course." Jareth murmured. He spoke then to the guardian who had come near when she fell, but did not intervene. "Guardian, guide Lady Sarah to the east guest chambers." The guardian came up to them with a whine, but fell silent as he stopped by her side. Jareth's breath breezed over her face, cooling her tears as he spoke. "Send Guardian to me should you need anything."

Sarah nodded stiffly and pulled her hands out from within his, trying to ignore the way her heart clenched at the loss of his once comforting touch. The guardian nudged her hand with his nose to let her know where he was, and her hand brushed over his head to rest at his furry neck. Sarah came to her feet, the guardian stepping closer to aid her in the action. Without a word to Jareth, Sarah held onto the guardian as he led her to the doors. They reached the library entrance, and he patted one of the doors with a paw, opening them, before the two slipped into the hallway. Once the doors were closed behind them, Sarah stopped to wipe her face with her hand. As she did, she thought about what Jareth said about the guest chambers. She needed somewhere outside to think. All of those morning runs she used to do had helped her in that.

"Lead me outside, please, Guardian." Sarah requested. The guardian made a quiet whining sound as though unsure, and she implored him. "Please. I need some air." The wooden animal quietly whined again then rubbed its head against her knee before poking its shaggy neck out to her. Sara took a firmer hold of the fine wooden hairs, and he pulled her slowly along beside him. Thankfully the guardian was a tall, lean dog, and Sarah didn't have to bend over to hold on to him. She wondered as they walked down the hall if he wasn't some kind of greyhound-although the shaggy neck made her think he might be a tall wolf. "Are you a wolf?" She questioned.

The animal hesitated then nodded a 'yes'. "Are you the only guardian?" This time the wolf nodded positively again, with more confidence. Sarah continued. "Do you have a name?"

It nodded a 'yes' again, then slowed to a stop and lifted its head and howled quietly. Sarah jumped at the suddenness of it, and the wolf turned its head to her. She heard the sound of its tongue lolling out, apparently pleased with itself. "So... Howl?" She asked, and it nodded its head once with a short jerk. "It's a nice name." She complimented, and Howl barked twice as though to thank her. Howl stood and nuzzled her wrist for her to take a better hold again, before he started leading her away.

Sarah found herself holding on to her tears on their way. She wanted to be out of the castle fully before she let herself cry. Hopefully somewhere quiet. The two reached their destination in less time than she thought they would. Howl made more turns in downward angles than seemed possible in such a small castle. Though to be fair to the building, it was a magical place. It could be twice the size on the inside as it appeared on the outside, for all she knew. It didn't seem impossible, considering the owner of the castle's magical capabilities. At the sharp pain in her chest at that thought, she stopped herself abruptly from thinking about Jareth and tried to think of something else.

Howl stopped at a door, then patted it with his wooden paw to open it. They stepped into the garden, and immediately Sarah's nose was caressed by a warm breeze, and the heavenly scents of the garden that flowed with it. She recognized Lilacs, Lilies, Roses, Jasmine, and an assortment of other scents. She could hear the faint tinkling of a fountain nearby. Was this place the castle gardens? It was so peaceful. Sarah sighed, feeling tired after everything that had happened. Howl whined and nuzzled her side in question.

A faint smile touched Sarah's lips and she reassured him. "I'm just a bit tired. Is there a place that I can sit down?" Howl yipped and nodded his shaggy head. He led her a surprisingly short distance to a dainty chair. It felt like marble that'd been carved into lace on the back, it had so many holes and intricate lines. The seat itself was solid, and she sat down carefully in it. Sarah's hands brushed a table before her, and she felt at its edges. It was small and round, maybe two feet in diameter.

A cheerful voice greeted the dark haired woman from the marble table before her, and Sarah jumped in surprise.

"'Allo!"

* * *

A/N: Don't know if anyone's noticed Jareth's clever (or perhaps not so clever) words of reassurance. Regardless, the cat's out of the bag. What did you think?

Disclaimer: Don't own it.


	15. Chapter 15: The Valley of Illusions

A/N: I apologize for not getting this out last Monday, but I was busy with work and things, etc., etc. Anyway: Chapter fifteen, The Valley of Illusions! It's spooky. I actually probably shouldn't have written the scary parts at night. ^_^'''

Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth.

* * *

Blind

Chapter Fifteen: The Valley of Illusions

* * *

The sun had traveled considerably and hung low in the sky. As they walked across the camp, it caught Seth's eye, and he watched it with growing worry. "How long were we in your tent?" He questioned anxiously, afraid of the answer. Helga followed his gaze to the sun and squinted. She hummed and continued walking, with a gesture for him to keep up with her. "An hour, perhaps a little more. Though you need not worry yourself about it."

"'Need not worry?'" He echoed her in disbelief. His face cherried and he pointed with one insistent finger in indignation at the blazing sun. "It's moved across the sky since our journey in the lake, and we've obviously lost a lot of time from sitting in your tent. That woman could be a goblin already because we wasted time on tea and soup! How is there no need to worry?" He towered above her and Helga appraised him seriously.

"There is no 'need to worry'," She replied, "Because the castle is just there." With a gesture, Helga jerked her stick at a dark, looming structure. It was the castle, far beyond the trees. It was still terribly far away-on the other side of the forest, probably-they really could only see half of the tall towers.

"Why didn't we see it before we went into your tent?" Asked Seth. Helga held her stick in both hands, looking patient as she leaned on it. Beyond the wood pile beside her, the downward sloping line of trees traveled on, the goblin castle lying in wait.

"Because I did not wish you to." Helga said it matter-of-factly, her demeanor entirely serious.

Seth turned in surprise to face her. "What? But why?" He demanded, growing angry.

Helga replied in the same tone she used before, shifting from one foot to the other. "Because I knew if you saw the castle before, you would go running off to it instead of resting like you needed to." She gestured with a tilt of the gnarled stick and a flick of her eyes at the tent where Lyra and La were still resting. "They would not have made it after such an ordeal," She pointed next at Seth with raised eyebrows when he opened his mouth to protest. "and neither, my boy, would you." Seth's mouth shut, and he scowled at Helga as she straightened up, resting her stick against her shoulder. "That is why I hid the castle. To make certain you and your friends could recover before you tried to go gallivanting off to finish your run. Young men tend to act before thinking." She leveled a meaningful look at him.

At last she shrugged the staff off of her shoulder and gestured at the firewood pile. "But you won't be gallivanting just now. First you must help me carry firewood back to the tent, then we will speak of how best to get you to the castle."

Once this task was completed, they did just that. Helga first checked them all to be sure they were well fed and dried, then led the trio of travelers out of the tent.

The good witch hobbled off to the edge of the forest, where the castle could be seen through the thick foliage, and tapped her stick on the ground twice. The trees before her turned the dirt with their roots and settled to make stairs. The path was leading down and curving away, and the tree trunks bent in such a way as to make an arched path. As this was happening, she went on. "Beyond is the Valley of Illusions. There you will meet with temptations and nightmares. Remember that these are just illusions, preying on your weaknesses. When you go inside, do not fall prey to them, for you have the power there, not the illusions." Helga's previously serious expression sank into grim warning as she spoke. "Be aware and remember what you see is not real or true. To dispel the illusions, remember that they are not real and tell them so. Your words have power, and will break their spell. Do not panic or become separated, no matter how real the illusions appear. Good luck to you, children." Helga gave them each an encouraging hug, then stepped back from the path. She knew this next part of their journey would be difficult.

"Thank you, for your help." Seth told her, and the others nodded their thanks. Then with a deep breath, Seth set his shoulders determinedly and led them onto the tree root path. Helga watched as they disappeared into the forest, worry creeping into her expression with each step further they went into the forest. Closer to the Valley. Her lips pressed thin, she turned stiffly away and marched to her tent. Now her task was finished, she would report to Jareth.

Returning to her tent, she patted the little table's top reassuringly when it shuffled in concern toward her. She was sure her expression had to be worried. Helga let a smile wash away the worry on her face, and the table settled down. Stepping past it, she went to the back of the tent, and picked up a crystal ball from among a stack of loose sheets of parchment and old books. Helga lifted the orb at eye level, keeping it half an arm's length away to see it properly. She stared hard at it and spoke. "Jareth, I need to speak with you." Nothing initially happened-not anything visible, at least-for, unseen, light static electricity encircled the orb, and filled the air immediately around it. It faded, focusing fully around and then inside the orb.

Jareth's face appeared in the crystal, and concern returned to Helga's features. He looked haggard, his entire countenance was a mix of frustration, sorrow, and anger, the lattermost, most likely aimed at himself. "Helga." He greeted dully. "What is it?"

Helga raised her eyebrows, though her concern for him won over any cross response she might have had, at his mannerless greeting. She ignored it, instead observing him. "From your expression, I'm assuming she found out before you could tell her." Jareth said nothing, confirming it without words, and Helga shook her head, half sympathetic and half imploring. "You must stop doing this-you think you are saving her from pain, but you are only increasing it, and making it harder for her to trust you." Helga stopped when Jareth leaned back into his chair and put his hands over his face, rubbing it tiredly.

"I know, Helga. I'm trying." His voice sounded strange, muffled under his hands. "Thank you for your advice." He added, then brushed his hands over his face as though hoping to wipe away his troubles. Jareth sat up, his eyes filled with determination. "But that matter is for me to worry about. How goes your task with Seth?"

Helga hummed, inclining her head towards the forest outside. "They are on their way to the valley. I have warned them about what they should expect, but I worry about them getting through…" She trailed off meaningfully, and Jareth raised his eyebrows.

"I take it you wish to assist them?" He questioned, and Helga nodded a 'yes'. The king thought a moment, calculating the time it would take with her help. At last he pursed his lips. "That will be fine, so long as you avoid the shortcuts. I should be able to explain myself to Sarah by then." Helga nodded. Sitting up in his chair, his hand reached for the crystal. "Be careful in the valley, Helga."

"I will. Good luck to you, Jareth." Helga replied, and Jareth's image vanished from the crystal in her hand.

* * *

Almost as soon as they fell out of sight of Helga, the tree path led them nearly straight down in a zig-zagging path; that at times was overridden with tree roots that took rather enthusiastic advantage of the opportunity to emerge from the dark soil. Seth, Lyra, and La would have to then climb over the roots, Seth helping the girls where he could. At one point he had to lift them down from a particularly tall intertwining mound of roots.

La he easily managed to lift down, but Seth nearly faltered and fell on top of Lyra after taking hold of her waist to help her down. They bumped into each other, falling back against the roots until they were flush together. Seth only just managed to keep them upright, and he froze when he registered their position. Seth's face reddening, he stuttered out an apology and straightened up. La gaped and gave the princess a look so filled with hurt betrayal, that upon seeing it, Lyra quickly took a step away from the young man. Thanking him for his help politely, she patted his head in a sisterly way, then strode regally past him down the path.

Seth stared after her, not entirely sure how to react. La cleared her throat crossly when he continued to stare at the princess, and Seth's face deepened in color. Brushing imaginary dust off of his clothes, he started after the mermaid. "Let's go, La." He said. La kept pace with him, occasionally casting him glances that he did not notice.

The path continued its back and forth motions, until finally it widened and emptied out into a vast valley filled with fog. It looked like a volcanic crater, the way the setting sun illuminated the mist, turning it red like smoke hovering above lava. The tops of pine trees surrounding the valley peeked out of the mist like the spikes on a dragon's back, as though the valley was ringed with the massive beasts. It was a less than reassuring sight, given what they knew about the valley's sinister capabilities. The only thing they could remotely call comforting, was the sight of the goblin king's black stone castle, seeming more distant and stark against the cloudless, red sun-drenched sky.

"It's so very big…" Whispered La's very small voice. Seth turned his gaze to the large eyed rabchilla. Her ears had drooped down onto her back, her tail curled round to rest at her feet. Her feet tried to cover up the fluffy end of it as though to protect it. Seeing this, the teenager's heart softened and he crouched down to be at her level. "Yeah, it is pretty big…" Seth agreed bluntly. La looked up pitifully at him, her ears drooping further. From the other side of La, the mermaid glared at Seth in incredulity. Was he trying to scare the poor creature to death? She seemed to be contemplating what the best way to reprimand him would be, when he continued. "But we'll be together. Me, you, and Lyra. We'll face whatever illusions we meet and beat them. You're strong, La, I know you can do it." Seth praised, smiling at her. "You got this." La's ears perked back up and she returned the smile. The rabchilla nodded with renewed confidence, and Lyra smiled, pleased with Seth's encouragement. Seth stood, and the friends turned toward the valley.

The fog lapped at their path, like ocean waves lapping at a beach. "Stay close." Seth reminded them, then together they stepped into the valley. The fog swallowed them whole, leaving not a trace. Fog enshrouded the friends, and they had taken all of two steps, when the ground beneath them rumbled and pitched. The ground cracked and surged upward, and with shouts of alarm, they were forced apart and sent running in different directions.

* * *

La scrambled away from the tumbling rocks behind her. It was as though a mountain had emerged from the ground, and was determined to squash her. The little creature ran on for what felt to her like hours. Every time she tried running back the way she came, the ground would rumble and shift, as though trying to drive her away. It was enough that it kept her moving, searching for her friends. She didn't know how long she had wandered, but exhaustion had begun creeping into her fore and back paws.

Exhausted, La settled down beneath a tree to rest, one ear perked up at all times, should she hear her friends. It was not long before La was dozing, and out of the mist, a familiar voice began calling her. "La! La, where are you?" La's eyes widened.

It was Seth's voice!

She must have wandered back towards him! La straightened up onto her hind legs, ears erect and twitching this way and that. An odd, strangely familiar hopping sound brought her attention to her left, near a large rock. A rabchilla, brown in color, hopped into sight. La's ears drooped down in disappointment. It wasn't Seth. Just another rabchilla. But to her surprise, the stranger rabchilla grinned happily upon seeing her. It hopped closer, stopping a few feet away. "I've been looking for you!"

La's eyes grew enormous, and she stared in shock. "Seth?" The rabchilla nodded positively and his grin widened. "How… How are you a rabchilla?" She questioned.

Rabchilla Seth shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, though his grin was no less happy. "I met the king just now. He offered to turn me into a rabchilla and allow me to live here, and in exchange I get to stop running the Labyrinth for that blind woman!" La was too stunned to speak, but Seth had no probably continuing the conversation for them both. "That means I get to stay here with you!" He moved closer, reaching tenderly for her forepaws. "We can be together, La."

La shook herself out of her stupor, and frowned at this new Seth. "But-you can't! You have to save that woman!"

Seth looked hurt, and his eyebrows came together as he moved closer still. "I don't care about her anymore, La. I want to be with you! Don't you want to be with me?" He questioned, his voice breaking. La hesitated, looking at his outstretched paws.

She could be with him now. Her heart soared, and at the same time her stomach sank with an unsettling feeling within its depths. Her eyes lifted to meet his own and his imploring expression pulled her in. "Well…" She reached for his paws, then stopped as a bad feeling like a shadow fell over her. 'No! This is isn't right!' Something inside of her suddenly warned. 'Seth wouldn't just give up-and he'd never shown interest in me like this before!' La pulled her paws back, and her eyebrows fell. "You're an illusion!" She squeaked in angry accusation, stepping away from him. "You're not real!" She shouted. The rabchilla in front of her froze. A strong, brief wind picked up and hit the illusion. In an instant it turned into grey mist, and blew away. La's shoulders fell and her eyes closed in relief, though a small part of her still ached.

"La!" A voice made La shrink back at first, but when she saw the owner of the voice, she relaxed. "Helga!" She cried. The good witch was indeed there, dispersing fog from around her with her stick in irritation. A lantern hung from the end of it, looking precarious as it swayed from side to side above her, aiding in the dispersal of the mist. Helga's worried expression changed like part of a burden had been lifted away from her shoulders. Once she saw La properly, the witch went down on one knee as La ran to her. "I saw your illusion's defeat. Well done, little one. You were very brave." Helga looked round and gestured with the stick. "Where are Seth and Lyra?"

La shook her head anxiously. "We got separated." The good witch nodded and came to her feet. "Well, we will find them, don't you worry." She pointed ahead of her. "Let's keep moving before another illusion finds us." La readily agreed, and they started off in search of Seth and Lyra.

* * *

Lyra ran as fast as her legs could carry her. The soil was unsteady and rising in places, until it had driven her far from the others. She stopped when she realized the ground had ceased moving about, and halted by a tree to catch her breath. Movement nearby caught her gaze, and Lyra went still as she peered through the fog. Something enormous, flat, and reflective lay over a vast space. The faint, gentle lapping of waves reached Lyra's ears, and her eyes widened in recognition.

Hurrying toward the sound, the princess reached the source. It was a lake! Her shoulders eased at the sight. It wasn't her home, but it made her feel a little safer in just seeing it. A splash brought her attention to three figures bobbing in the lake, near the far shore. What light managed to penetrate the fog, played off of several strands of pearls on the central figure. Lyra's brow furrowed in concern. What was her mother doing here? How was she here? Two guards floated in the water at the queen's side, holding coral spears that were half wrapped with seaweed. She could see the wet seaweed glimmering in the dim light. Another splash close to the shore revealed three emerging mermen. One in particular was bound at the wrists and held between the other guards. Lyra gasped in shock and her face paled.

Earlier when she, Seth, and La had left the lake palace, Lyra had glanced back in hopes of glimpsing a particular piece of lake farmland. A piece of farmland that a particular merman tended. A merman named Tyr, whom Lyra loved, and whom loved her in return. He had promised Lyra that someday they would be together, and Lyra had meanwhile been trying to figure out how she could tell her mother. The queen was determined to marry Lyra off to a wealthy nobleman, but it wasn't at all what Lyra wanted. Convincing her mother to allow the match between her and Tyr, would be a miracle.

Her mother's voice sounded across the lake, reaching Lyra despite the distance. "Tyr. As punishment for your crime, you are hereby banished from the lake, and no longer allowed the gift that marks you as one of the merfolk." The queen made a grand gesture, and the two merguards on either side of Tyr swam for the shore, eventually walking up the beach on their transformed legs. Tyr's tail took a little longer to change, and the guards barked at him to hurry up. It seemed to be difficult for him, and Lyra remembered it was because he had rarely-if ever-been outside the lake before.

Lyra stared in horror as they pulled him fully ashore, and stripped away the wrap-like seaweed skirt around his waist. The skirt that allowed the merfolk to have tails and live beneath the lake. Tears of anger and sadness pricked at her eyes as she watched, as though frozen to the lake shore. His newly formed legs already struggling to function, the merman was dropped like a discarded sack of coral on the sand.

The removal of a merfolk's tail was the ultimate punishment, bringing shame and despair to that individual. That feeling of no longer belonging-of having your very identity stripped from you-was such an emotional blow, that few merfolk survived it. Lyra shuddered at the thought. There was a splash, and Lyra's mother and her two guards vanished into the water. The guards who'd taken Tyr ashore, jumped back into the lake, leaving the merman to die. As soon as the group disappeared into the lake, Lyra sprinted over the sand, her exhaustion gone in her desire to aid the man she loved.

Tyr was lying face down, his hands clenching the sand in his fists. He didn't see Lyra as she went down on her knees beside his pale blue lightly muscled body. The princess gently reached out to place her hands on his broad shoulders, but the merman turned over in alarm when she knelt beside him.

He was quite handsome with a strong jaw and aquiline nose and full lips. His short, curly sapphire hair was plastered to his head and still trailing lakewater rivulets down his face. His wide turquoise eyes were unfocused, shocked. The expression was so agonized, that it tore at Lyra's heart to see it.

"Tyr-" She began, but he shook off her hands. Sitting up, Tyr tried to use his new legs to push himself off the ground, to move away from her. He could barely move them. The man's face twisted with panic. "Tyr, be still! You are not yet used to your legs, give yourself a moment to adjust-" Lyra tried to take hold of his arm, but her lover shied away from her touch in sudden anger.

His shocked eyes focused and narrowed in fury as he hissed. "'Adjust'? I am in this situation because of you!" Lyra jerked back in shock. "What are you talking about?!" He shook his head furiously, loathing in his eyes. "You told your mother about us and her guards came to the fields, bringing me here!"

Lyra's eyebrows came together, pain and confusion warring with each other across her beautiful face. "No, Tyr! I would never-!"

Tyr cut her off, hissing. "Liar! This is your fault!" He spat, madness in his eyes as he lurched at her. Shocked, Lyra jumped to her feet, getting clear from him. "Your fault!" He shrieked when he missed her, falling onto his stomach on the sand.

The hate in his eyes made Lyra's heart clench painfully, as though a cold hand had taken hold of it. Something about that look made something click in her mind. Tyr loved her. He would never harm her, even if he were furious-which was an emotion he rarely experienced. The only time Lyra had seen him even remotely angry, was when a handful of teenagers had stolen some food from the fields on his farm. But that was nothing like this. The mermaid princess stared hard at Tyr, realization burning in her eyes. 'He is not real-he is an illusion!' She thought. Fury overtook her shock and fear, and she snarled out her next words.

"YOU ARE NOT REAL!"

Tyr froze, and his maddened eyes turned blank and lifeless, as though he'd been struck dead. For a moment he was there, and then abruptly, his body morphed into pale green sea foam. The body of water collapsed, soaking into the sand at Lyra's feet. Lyra stared down at the darkened sand, tears in her eyes. She knew now it was an illusion-but the pain in her heart was still there. Was this something that could happen? If her mother truly discovered their love? Would Lyra and Tyr have to elope to escape such a fate? He might have to learn to walk on land, if her mother reacted in a way that threatened his well being. Would he live on the surface?-live with her?

"Lyra!" Squeaked a familiar voice, breaking her from her thoughts. Lyra looked round, and was hugged tight around the leg by a white furry blur that turned out to be La. "Oh I'm so glad you're alright! I was so afraid and I didn't know what would happen to you or Seth, and then Helga appeared and now she is going to help us find Seth and show us the way through the valley!" La rambled on so quickly, it was a miracle that the princess understood any of it. She understood, and nodded to what La said. A way out of there sounded perfect to her.

"Good. We should go."

* * *

Seth was stumbling down a rocky slope when the turbulent ground became still. He continued down the slope until he came to an area where the ground leveled out. The young man walked on until he found a large rock, and sat down hard on it to rest. Once settled, Seth sighed. 'I hope I can find the girls soon-but it's so hard to see in this place!' He thought, casting his gaze pointlessly through the fog. The only things visible were a grouping of boulders a few feet away.

"W-Who's there?..." Rasped a frightened voice.

Seth jerked around to face the grouping of boulders, when the nearest of them moved. There was someone-or something-cowering among the rocks.

Seth spoke to reassure them. "I'm just passing through. I won't hurt you. My name's Seth." Seth shifted on his rock, tilting his head to the side to try and see the stranger better. "What's your name?"

It grew terribly still, and while Seth waited on an answer, the person by the rocks shuffled around, dragging something thin like a stick across the ground.

The young man's face paled. It was a goblin. But not just any goblin-it was a goblin carrying a walking stick. Seth stared in horror, realizing who it was.

'I knew we spent too long at that witch's camp!' He thought, his stomach dropping. Standing, he accidentally knocked over some rocks by his foot. The blind woman goblin jumped, clutching her cane close. She blinked her eyes wide in fear, but then a wind began blowing at Seth's back. It ruffled his hair and made his clothes flap where they were loose. The nostrils of her warted green nose flared as she breathed it in. Her eyes abruptly narrowed and her teeth bared at him.

"You!" She hissed in rasping fury. "You did this to me!" She must have been able to smell him, he realized, and he took a stumbling step backwards when she lurched to her feet. She clawed at the ground with short, gnarled green fingers, and her long black fingernails grasped dirt and rock like the claws of an enraged bird. "This is all your fault!"

Seth shook his head in terrified denial. "No! This can't be! I can still save you!" He cried. Speaking further turned out to be a mistake; for her head snapped round to look in his direction-looking almost right at him. She scrambled towards him, stumbling over rock and not entirely coming to her feet, resembling a grotesquely deformed spider.

"You took too long, and Jareth turned me into a goblin!" She spat, reaching wildly around for him. "I'll get you, you selfish-!" Seth scrambled back further, climbing on to the rock he'd been resting on.

Seth frowned. Helga had said they still had plenty of time-and she had proven to be trustworthy-but this place was a place of illusions. So did that mean-? He stopped, and stared hard at the goblin. 'A place of illusions.' He realized. She wasn't real. He jumped out of his thoughts when the "blind woman" lurched toward him again.

"I'll-!" She shrieked, but Seth cut her off with a shout.

At the top of his lungs, he exclaimed. "YOU'RE NOT REAL!" There was a breath of silence, and just as her hand touched the rock near his foot, her body turned grey like the rock he stood upon. In a blink, she crumbled until all that was left was a pile of rocks.

Relief flooded the young man. He still had time. He wasn't too late.

Seth was just climbing down from the rock when he saw three familiar figures emerging from the fog. His eyes lit up and a smile full of relief and happiness blossomed across his face. "La! Lyra! I'm so glad you're alright!" He hugged both of them tight after they greeted him, La nearly suffocating him with her hug. He noticed Helga a moment later, and his forehead wrinkled in question. "Helga, what are you doing here?"

The good witch gave the boy a pat on the shoulder and warm smile. "I was worried about you three making it safely through the valley-and it appears I was right worrying. The valley separated you, but now we are all together, it's time we moved on." Helga turned, waving her stick simultaneously so that the lantern on the end burned away some of the fog. "I will lead you through the mists."

* * *

Helga led the three young heroes through the fog. Keeping an eye on them, as well as the path beyond. "We'll be on the other side soon; there's a narrow pass ahead between two cliffs we shall have to squeeze through." She looked at the Runner and noted his nod of understanding.

"Let's get going." He said.

Helga gestured forward with her staff, and started off, the young ones close behind. They walked for some time, passing over a stream and a field of wildflowers Helga insisted they go around. When Seth questioned why, she explained with some irritation. "Understand this field is not safe. Often the most beautiful things in this valley, are the most dangerous." Her irritation lessened. Really, she was just cross they had to be near it at all, and wasn't cross with him. With a kinder tone, she elaborated further. "I would rather not be near this place if I can help it, is all. It lures you in and drives you mad with visions of the thing you desire most." Nothing more was said on that subject, and they quickly went around and left the field behind them.

An hour flit by before they saw the pass. In the mist all they could see were towering black, twin walls, with a lighter passage between. It was as narrow as Helga had said, and the group would have to pass through in single file in order to get through.

Helga looked back at the children. Their expressions were trepidatious at best, but Lyra looked the most concerned. When the princess met Helga's gaze, the witch smiled comfortingly. But when she next spoke, it was to all of them. "The path is small between the two cliffs, but it is a short distance to the other side. Look to the sky if you feel you are getting too claustrophobic. I know it looks intimidating, but the castle is only a little further beyond these cliffs." That seemed to reassure them, at least a little bit, and Helga gave them each an encouraging smile. "You needn't be worried."

When the three travelers seemed more reassured, Helga then bade them follow her, and stepped onto the path. She kept them moving at a quick pace, and within an hour, they had reached the other side. The path widened enough that they could all see the exit and the base of a hill just barely visible through the fog. Helga stopped short, and the others nearly ran into her. They peeked round her shoulder and froze as a voice drawled.

"Well, well. What is this I see?"

Helga scowled. There at the exit, leaning against the cliff face leisurely, stood the Goblin King. He looked as haggard as he had in Helga's crystal in the tent. His garb was different, however; darker. A black cloak draped over his thin form and a hood was pulled over his head. His mismatched eyes appeared as black jewels, gleaming in his pale face. He was entirely dressed in black, and Helga felt a great foreboding upon seeing him. Had something happened to Sarah? Had she refused him entirely? The witch knew he had looked bad before out of despair and hopelessness-but this was something else entirely. This was a full turn towards a darker Jareth that Helga did not like at all.

Determined to get answers, she questioned him. "Your Majesty, what are you doing here?"

"My job, certainly." He shrugged his narrow shoulders. "Am I not the goblin king? Am I not the snatcher of children, and the cruel ruler to a kingdom full of disfigured creatures?" He shook his head, and white blonde hair danced over his shoulders. A look of disgust curled his lip into a sneer. "Is that not the story?"

Helga studied him with sharp eyes. This didn't feel right. Jareth had been determined to set things right between himself and Sarah, last Helga had seen him. Her eyes fell to the fog-filled path. They were still in the Valley of Illusions-he had to be an illusion. This Jareth wasn't real, and was taking up precious time required for Seth to finish his run. "You are not real. Now get out of my sight!" She snapped, swinging her stick down hard on the illusion. The stick cut through him like a toothpick cuts through cappuccino foam, and the lantern's light evaporated what mist was left behind the staff.

The illusion Jareth vanished entirely, and Helga gruffly spoke, "Right." cleared her throat, "Keep up, then." and marched off again.

Seth and the others hurried after her, and once they were clear of the passage and the fog, Seth spoke in alarm. "What was that back there?"

Helga didn't immediately answer. Instead she peered studiously at the terrain ahead. They'd come out of the cliffs, and with the cliffs, went the fog. A grassy hill, touched by the last remnants of the setting sun's golden rays, made the dew on it sparkle like stars, a prelude to the coming night. The way was clear now, and they were free of the valley's deceitful touch.

Helga started up the hill, the others following behind. She gave a dry laugh that drove out humor, and her three companions looked at her quizzically. "No, I do not fear what Jareth is. I fear what he could become if he believed and accepted the views that others have of him." The good witch gave Seth a pointed look. "Some think he's cruel and evil and heartless." She inclined her head back at the foggy cliffs. "The Illusion Jareth in the valley was an extreme version of that darker Jareth.

La spoke up in defense of Jareth. "The king is nice! He gave me a carrot and made me feel better after Seth scared me when we first met." Seth's cheeks flushed guiltily when the others looked at him. La hurried to add, "Seth apologized afterwards." Seth's blush faded and he spoke to La. "I am sorry about that." La waved her paw cheerfully. "You apologized and I forgave you; we can forget about it now." Seth's regretful expression changed to relief and he smiled back. They entered the forest, and after some time of walking in silence, Seth ventured to speak again.

The young man lifted a branch out of their way, allowing Lyra and La to pass through. As Helga's turn came to walk under it, he questioned her. "So the king isn't evil?" Helga came up short before the young man and leveled a look at him, a frown on her lips.

"No. He is as La said. Your perception of Jareth is what he wants you to see." She continued under the branch to follow the girls. Seth went after her, lowering the branch carefully behind him. Hurrying to catch up with the witch, he walked at her side, giving her a bemused look. "Why would he do that?"

Helga sighed, shaking her head. "I suspect you shall soon find out." They came out of the trees, overlooking a field where the city and castle were only a few miles away. She lifted her hand to point out the castle, "I hope that perception changes." then Helga gestured for them to follow. "It's not much further now. Come along."

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A/N: Well, what did you think? Did it flow alright? I'm feeling quite pleased with it overall. Anyway, thanks for reading!


	16. Chapter 16: Seeing

A/N: Hey guys! I haven't vanished into thin air or forgotten you or this story, I promise! Life happens, you know how it is. X(

Disclaimer: Really don't own Labyrinth or any of its characters.

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Blind

Chapter Sixteen: "Seeing"

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Sarah jerked away from the tiny voice in surprise. "Who-" The voice shushed her with a light chuckle.

"Not so loud, not so loud!" It rebuked mildly, and Sarah hesitantly returned her hands to the table. The voice continued. "This is a peaceful place-and my poor worm ears are very sensitive, you know. We have excellent hearing, you see." He said matter-of-factly.

"Sorry... I didn't know." Sarah apologized, bemused, before she realized what he'd said. "Wait-are you that little blue worm-the one I met at the start of the Labyrinth? The one that invited me to have tea with his..." She trailed off when the worm hummed positively in response, then a sound like a tiny teacup rattling on a saucer made Sarah raise her eyebrows. Was he having tea right now?

Howl lifted his head to nuzzle her hand to try to get her to pet him, as her dog Merlin often did back at home. Sarah smiled a little and let that hand follow his nose to the top of his head where she began running her hand over the fur there. He settled back down to rest his head on her lap, content.

"With my 'Missus'. Yes, Miss. Oh, excuse me, my name's Brian."

Sarah replied. "I'm Sarah Williams." His teacup rattled again.

"Pleased to meet you again, Miss Sarah. Would you like a cuppa tea? The Missus just made some. She's around here somewhere. Said something about raspberries." His voice grew quiet as he looked around. "Ah, wait! Here she is!" Sarah heard shuffling on the table nearby where Brian's voice was coming from, followed by a feminine sigh of relief. Sarah didn't know it, but Brian's Missus had just climbed up the table leg and come round on the tabletop. "I found some! Could only manage two, so we'll have to savor them." There was a little sound as she set the raspberries down. Then she noticed Sarah and spoke in surprise, "Oh! Hello, Miss!" Sarah's lips quirked up in amusement at their similar greetings.

Brian introduced his wife. "Miss Sarah, this is my Missus, Wendy. My Missus Wendy, this is Miss Sarah." Wendy giggled. "'My Missus'?" She questioned quietly, and it sounded like he leaned over to peck her on the cheek. "Yes, my Missus." He said warmly, then he turned back to Sarah. "Are you sure you don't want that cuppa tea, Miss Sarah?"

Sarah shook her head from side to side, "I'm sure. Thank you, though." She smiled.

"You're out here all alone, Miss Sarah?" Asked Wendy in concern.

Sarah hesitated then nodded. "Yes, I...decided to come to the garden to rest and clear my head." The worms exchanged a knowing silence.

"Well, don't you worry your head. I'm sure everything will work itself out fine in the end." Said Wendy cheerfully, and Sarah forced a smile.

'If only it was that simple.' She thought. All the while they had been speaking, Howl had been dozing with his head resting on Sarah's lap. But suddenly his ears rose, brushing against her wrist where she was running her hand through the fur on the top of his head. His head lifted out from under her hand and he turned his head away from Sarah. He barked excitedly, now turning fully away from her. His wooden tail rhythmically lashed one of the legs of her chair. The wolf did a sort of small hop with its forelegs in anticipation, the grass making muted thumping sounds because of it. Sarah wondered at all of the fuss, until Brian's Mrs. called out.

"Oh! Hello, Your Majesty! Come to join our tea today?"

Sarah's stomach sank and even as Wendy spoke, the wind shifted and carried the king's unmistakeable fragrance to her. It was similar to Aaron's-though now she detected the distinct scent of magic that had been absent on the man from the library. It was Aaron's scent, magnified and made somehow more soothing in its current form. Sarah shook herself out of her thoughts as Jareth's reply came. "No, I'm afraid not today, Mrs. Worm." Jareth said. He was only a little ways away, but coming closer. The grass swooshed beneath his leather boots, and Howl beside her settled down, save for his front paws which kept shifting in place. "I have things that need attending to. If you've no objection, might I sit with you a moment?" The worms agreed, and Jareth thanked them.

But before Jareth sat down, there was a brief, almost static electrical feeling that Sarah associated with magic, and she flinched away from him. Whatever Jareth had conjured made Howl go very still. Jareth's voice fell closer to the ground like he was crouched down in front of the animal, a smile in his voice. "You've done well protecting our guest, Guardian." Sarah's eyes widened slightly and she listened closer. The wolf made a quiet bark and uncertain whine and Jareth fell silent, thoughtful. "Ah. Howl, now, is it?" The wolf whined again, sounding uncertain. "Not at all. It's a very good name. Howl it shall be." Howl's tongue lolled out happily and his tail began lashing Sarah's chair leg once more. The wooden creature was well pleased with his king's acceptance of the name. Jareth continued. "Here's a treat for you. Go enjoy it, and I'll call you when you're needed again."

Howl slowly and respectfully set his teeth around whatever it was-to Sarah, it sounded like it might be a stick. Jareth's leather jacket creaked quietly, probably putting his arm back down, and he spoke to the magical animal. "Good boy. Go on, then." Howl gave a quiet bark around the object he held in his mouth, and slipped past Jareth. He trotted off, Sarah assumed, towards the castle.

Standing up, Jareth dusted off his hands. "On second thought, perhaps I'll leave you to your tea. I've come unexpectedly."

The worms issued words of understanding, saying, "Sire," and Jareth's voice was a little louder when he next turned to speak to Sarah.

"Lady Sarah, would you do me the honor of your company and take a walk with me in the garden?" He asked it so formally that it shocked Sarah. Even so, no, she didn't want to take a walk with Jareth. But with the worms right there, it made it hard to argue the point without it getting awkward.

"...Yes." She at last acquiesced. She could always ask to be left alone later. Sarah extended a hand grudgingly, fighting down the feeling of her heart fluttering and warming at the thought of his touch. Jareth took her hand delicately in his own, assisting her out of her chair.

Despite her anger towards him and his deception, there was a part of her that still felt safe when he took her hand. An attempt to reprimand the feeling failed, and Sarah gave up on it. She turned her head away from him instead, feeling considerably angry and depressed, her throat constricting around the threat of tears. Jareth lowered their joined hands to rest between them, and Sarah stiffened when he did. He squeezed her hand lightly to comfort her, then spoke softly, attempting to put her at ease-and despite herself, it worked a little. "The flowers here do remarkably well. The scents are unique even amongst their own kind."

Sarah didn't answer. Instead, almost subconsciously, she breathed a little deeper and discovered he was right. The flowers around them were beautiful in their different fragrances. Sarah wished very much that she could see them, and her heart ached. "I wish..." She whispered, but then stopped and swallowed the lump in her throat when the king faltered warily in his steps.

"Sarah..." Jareth began cautiously, and Sarah smiled wanly.

"I know. I suppose that if I could wish for something-I would wish that I could see them."

There was a thoughtful silence from Jareth following her words, and at last he replied. "I'm afraid I can't grant such a powerful wish. But, there is another way I can help you see." Despite her unhappiness towards him, Sarah listened with interest.

"How?" The woman's brow furrowed in confusion. Jareth's voice carried within its words a smile, and he gently laced her hand through his arm. "This way, and I'll show you." The goblin king led her down a narrow pathway that felt almost overrun with plants. Sarah could feel the leaves and blossoms of flowers brushing against her arm and hand all the way down to her toes on one side. Jareth stopped near the start of this path and turned so that he was facing Sarah.

"We'll start here, I think." Jareth said, looking around and causing his scent to caress her face. Sarah tried to ignore how comforting the fragrance was, and focused instead on asking questions. "Start? Start what?" Jareth didn't immediately answer, and stepped around in front of her, taking up both her hands in his. "To see." He replied simply. Jareth tipped over his hands so that his were cupping the backs of her own hands, holding them delicately. Guiding their hands to the side, Jareth helped Sarah to cradle a large flower blossom that offered up a familiar fragrance. Jareth stopped, and the very air around them seemed to go still. "I can help you to see the flowers, through touch instead of sight. Your hands will feel the flowers and relay to your mind what it is, and my magic will transform it, allowing you to see. The more you touch or feel something, the more your mind will remember it and be able to hold the image like a memory." Jareth came half a step closer, and Sarah was sure there was a healthy dose of amazement and eagerness in her expression from his words-for she certainly felt them. She didn't even notice that Jareth had come closer, until he began to speak once more.

"I will say the spell now. Tell me what you see, so I can adjust it if need be." Jareth finished, and she nodded. Sarah felt the magic gathering even before Jareth spoke. When he did speak, his voice was low and melodic, and sent a strange shiver from the tips of her toes, up her spine to the base of her skull. That same shiver pooled there, then continued over her shoulders, down her arms and wrists to the ends of Sarah's fingertips. The palms of her hands and fingers felt hypersensitive, and registered the cool touch of the dewy petals with such clarity, she really could see them.

Like snippets of photographs passing slowly in and out of the sun. It started first with color-that was what solidified in her mind the most-and then gradually the edges and details of the flower petals. Even the dew drops on the flower, like tiny stars, were visible to her. Several touched her skin and fled from the petals to her fingers, trailing sparkling water like stardust in its wake, before they dropped from her fingers, and instantly vanished. Sarah gave a quiet gasp of alarm, but wonder filled her soon after when they reappeared on Jareth's hands, which she could vaguely see where his own hands met with her own.

Jareth was speaking again, and the sound waves touched the flower and her hands, bringing minute details into focus until it was almost like seeing again. Tears sprung to Sarah's eyes when she saw the very lines in her hands, and she bit her lip. "Sarah?" He said once more-he'd said her name before, but she'd been too focused on 'seeing', that she hadn't registered it. "Do you see the flower?" Sarah bit her bottom lip and nodded jerkily, sniffing once to try and hold back her tears. She was seeing again! It wasn't seeing like she had hoped or expected-it was so much more. She could feel the peace the flower radiated. It had its own quiet consciousness, happy in the attention it was receiving.

"I see it." Sarah whispered, too overcome with emotion to speak any louder. "Do you know what flower it is?" He questioned. Sarah swallowed and replied. "It's a red peony." Jareth's voice responded with relief and happiness. "That's correct. You're doing very well, Sarah."

Sarah focused once more on the peony. "How does it work? The spell, I mean." Jareth took a half step closer and his scent swirled delicately around her. "My magic flows from my hands to yours. It travels between the part of your brain that tells your eyes what you're seeing, down your arms into your hands and back. But our hands must stay connected, or the spell will fade. We'll have to work together to maintain it. Shall we move on to another flower?" Sarah could not contain her excitement and nodded. "Yes-Please!"

The pair went from flower to flower, Jareth gently and slowly guiding Sarah by her hands. Jareth would take her to a flower and she would explore it with the delicate touch of her hands, until the plant showed itself fully in her mind. With each passing flower, Sarah felt herself gradually relaxing. Jareth had just led her to a rose, one which she was discovering had white petals. He was talking about the garden in general, when he suddenly fell silent. Sarah was about to ask what was wrong, when she felt a faint tug of magic, like something far away had shifted ever so slightly and was pulling at her.

"Ah… It appears your runner is near." Jareth's voice sounded distant and almost detached. "We should return to the throne room before he arrives." Jareth moved to guide her back onto the path fully, when Sarah had a thought and gripped his hands tightly, holding him there with hesitation.

"Before you break the spell, there's something I'd like to ask you." Her voice had turned almost shy, and Jareth questioned her softly. "Of course, Sarah. What is your request?" Sarah took a steadying breath and carefully stepped closer to Jareth. "I'd like to read your face-one last time. I… I might not get another opportunity…" She murmured, her cheeks flooding with warmth. When Jareth didn't immediately answer, Sarah's heart began to sink. Then, reluctantly, he agreed. "Very well." Still holding her hands, Jareth gently pulled her closer and placed each hand on either side of his face.

When Sarah's hands met with his skin, it was like looking at a dark canvas that her hands, as though covered in paint, began to create an image. His pale skin stood out in stark contrast to the empty black of the background, and slowly Sarah studied his face by touch-and now for the first time in years, and with the aid of magic-she would actually see him. Gradually Jareth's cheekbones and cheeks came into focus. His temples and forehead followed, and floating above them were his wispy blonde bangs. The skin above his eyebrows was wrinkled in a succession of dark horizons. Blonde eyebrows drawn together rested above closed, tired eyes. Sarah couldn't help but to linger on his eyes. There was something about the expression his closed eyes were trying to convey that immediately made her wish to comfort him. Her fingers stayed there a moment longer, then journeyed together and further south along his aquiline nose.

Soft as silk, Jareth's lips brushed against Sarah's fingertips when she drew her hands down toward his chin. The downward curve of his lips made her focus on them. Once she had reached his chin, Sarah returned her hands to his cheeks. Taking a mental step back, she studied the resulting image. What she saw was not what she had expected. It was Jareth, certainly. Unchanged in every aspect, save one. The one change that alarmed her so now. His forehead in wrinkles, his eyebrows drawn down over eyes closed tight against the world. His pursed lips that angled downward into a severe frown. Jareth's expression was tensed as though in pain, and appeared to Sarah so broken hearted, that it caused her own heart to jump and to ache wretchedly.

Sarah breathed shakily, her eyes stinging with the touch of tears. She bit her bottom lip, her heart twisting painfully the longer she studied his face. He was in so much pain. Sarah's thoughts stilled as something small and wet touched and gradually brushed down along her thumb and the side of her hand, before it vanished presumably down Jareth's face. 'Was that-?' Sarah thought, when Jareth cleared his throat and delicately removed her hands from his face, holding them instead before him.

As soon as Jareth pulled her hands away, his face disappeared from her magical sight. Even though it was gone, Sarah's heart still echoed with the pain she had seen in his face. Silence fell, and Jareth at last quietly broke it. "We should return to the castle. It's growing cold out, and you must rest before your departure." Sarah failed to respond, too distracted by the memory of his face and the tear she was sure she'd felt. She finally nodded, and she felt it when Jareth broke the spell by threading her hand through his arm, and began to lead her away.

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A/N: I hope I haven't offended anyone who noticed the significance of the names of the worms-but I meant it as a tribute to Brian Froud and his wife Wendy Froud, since he was the one who created the worm and all of the other creatures of Labyrinth, and so deserves recognition for his briliant imagination. I hope I haven't offended him, his wife, or anyone else. The worm was just so charming, you know?


	17. Chapter 17: A Blind Wish

A/N: So I had a small scare. I previously had written out parts of this chapter, and was really excited because I could just "fill in the blanks" between what I'd already written. I was dismayed to discover that I could not find this chapter, and I thought it was lost or deleted. After several days of panic and anger and sadness and nearly giving up (at least until the anger abated-I couldn't have left you guys hanging like that.), I finally found it. In plain sight. In its proper folder. Jeeze, you'd think I'd been super stressed out lately or something. *sarcastically rolls eyes* Anyway. It's found, it's finished, and now we don't have to panic. (Yay!) Anyway, I hope you guys like this chapter! Please review at the end with your thoughts! I should also probably mention that this is the last chapter.

LabyrinthLover30: Hope all is well with you and your friend and her mom Mavis! I did end up having that sinus surgery and it went well, I'm fully recovered now. Had a brief scare with something else that caused a lot of pain and worry, but it's resolved now and hopefully I won't have to go through it again. I've been a lot better recently, which is great. How have you been?

Disclaimer: I don't own Labyrinth.

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Blind

Chapter Eighteen: A Blind Wish

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The walk to the throne room was without conversation, broken only by the sound of Sarah and Jareth's footsteps and the creaking of the various doors they passed through in the castle. Howl had rejoined them, and went ahead to open the doors. The throne room double doors themselves opened with much groaning, and silence greeted the king and his guest.

Sarah was just wondering where the clock and mirror had gone to, when Jareth answered as though she had spoken aloud. "Tick-Tock and Mirra asked to be relocated to the library, once I expressed my hope to speak privately with you before your departure." The king paused. "Speaking of additional ears..." Jareth spoke to Howl. "Thank you, Howl, for your assistance. You can return to the garden for a run or the library for a rest, if you like." Howl huffed and whined. "Yes, you may say goodbye to Lady Sarah." Howl stepped up to Sarah, nuzzling her hand with his wooden nose and whining. Sarah smiled faintly and rubbed the wolf's smoothed ears and head.

"Goodbye, Howl. Thank you for your help. I'm glad I got to meet you." Sarah said, and the wolf nuzzled her hand once more before he turned and left in the direction of the garden.

Jareth turned them toward the throne room, and Sarah tried to swallow the lump that'd formed in her throat. It was no use, yet Sarah managed to reply to his earlier words about the clock and mirror. "Oh?..." Jareth led her across the throne room towards his throne. "Yes. I know you have questions. I can answer them uninhibited if the mirror and clock are not present. They tend to gossip." He gave a dry chuckle at the end, and a faint smile tried to tug at one corner of Sarah's lips. The two came to a halt next to the throne and Jareth spoke. "Here, I've had a couch placed beside my throne where you can rest, and we can talk." Jareth helped her to sit on one end, and he occupied the other. "Now, to your questions."

Sarah turned more fully toward him. "Why didn't you tell me you were Aaron?"

Jareth was silent only a moment, then speaking softly, he gave his answer. "I knew that if you recognized me, you would be frightened and refuse my help." Sarah felt the truth of his words. She'd have been afraid he'd come for revenge, or Toby, or both.

She pursed her lips, though, saying. "You don't know that." Jareth shifted on the couch and she was reminded painfully of his deception as Aaron, and her heart ached.

"But it's true. You know that." He was right again. Silence reigned, until Jareth haltingly explained. "That's also why I never kissed you, or expressed my feelings for you, as Aaron. I wanted those things to come from me-the real me. Without an alias buoying them up. There was too much deception for my liking already."

Jareth fell silent, waiting. Another question came to her mind, and Sarah voiced it. "You healed my hands when they were scalded by the tea earlier-couldn't you heal my eyes?"

Jareth answered regretfully. "I didn't find out about your accident until after your doctor performed your surgery. If I had reached you before then, I could have perhaps healed you or helped with the healing process. However, because I found out afterwards, I did not dare risk it once the surgery had been performed. I still will not dare risk it. Your doctor had seen the damage; if I had healed you, he'd have called you a miracle. You would have been subjected to more testing and study by other, possibly less kind doctors. Healing you would have meant seeing you being reduced to a creature of study. I couldn't have lived with myself if that had happened."

Sarah eventually asked. "What about my coming back here? Was that planned?"

Jareth's muted voice was remorseful. "I never intended for you to return to the Labyrinth." Jareth's words grew a little louder as he faced Sarah. "I intended merely to remind you of the words spoken by the king to the princess; to explain to you how the king felt about her." Jareth paused, taking a breath. "To explain how I feel about you."

Before Sarah could reply, the slightest touch of magic resonated from the throne room doors. Jareth's hands tightened momentarily around hers, before he released her and came to his feet. "The boy is here." He said, "Excuse me."

Sarah turned toward Jareth with a furrowed brow, sudden panic creeping into her voice. "Where are you going?" Jareth paused at the couch, then with a smile in his voice, he scooped up her hands and placed a loving kiss on the backs of both.

His voice was light, trying at a playful tone. "While I would prefer to sit by you, dearest Sarah, our young hero coming to rescue you, believes me to be 'The Wicked Goblin King'. And wicked goblin kings must be sitting on their thrones, looking ominous, when receiving such heroes." His voice turned more serious. "However, should you need me, I am here." Gently he released Sarah's hands, and took smooth, measured steps to the top of the dais and sat down on his throne.

Almost as soon as he had sat down, the throne room doors burst open, and as Jareth had said, Seth must have entered. Sarah heard the feet of a few others with him, and realized he must have gained friends along the way, like she had. "Let her go!" The boy shouted courageously, and Sarah was astonished by the change in his voice. There was a level of maturity there, that had not been present at the library.

Sarah could feel the anger coming off of Jareth, even before he spoke. When he did, his words were haughty. "Who are you to demand such a thing?" The king's tone was dangerous, and the heels of his boots tapped the top step as he stood. "What are you willing to do to make up for your actions towards her?" He asked, taking a step down the stairs of the throne.

"Be kind to her?" A step.

"Respect her?" Another step.

He stepped down to what Sarah assumed was the last step leading down from the throne. "To show her compassion?" Sarah felt Jareth's intense eyes turn gentle when they fell on her briefly. They intensified again, however, and the feeling of his eyes on her left when he looked away.

The boy angrily retorted. "I'd be more compassionate than you!"

 _Silence_.

Absolute, volatile, _silence_.

It grew on the room like thick ice. Sarah felt the increasing fear coming from Seth, while an incredible fury came off of Jareth. The king spoke to the boy with such frost biting his words, it made the room itself feel frigid, and Sarah shivered. " _How dare you_." Jareth hissed, his voice a mere whisper. "You know _nothing_ of such things. Of what I have gladly given, of what I have and would sacrifice for her. And unlike you, I would do it all again in an instant, if it meant I could ensure her safety and happiness." A sneer entered Jareth's voice. "Now tell me, _boy_." He emphasized the word as though it were an insult. "What would you be willing to give up, to make up for what you have done-for the pain you have caused her?"

Seth's voice resonated from across the room to Sarah, and she straightened warily. "Ma'am, what I did was wrong. For that I'm really sorry." He spoke next with firm determination in his tone. "I can't undo what's been done, but I _will_ make it right." He took a breath, and speaking to Jareth, he continued with a surprising power behind his voice. _"Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child you have stolen-"_ Seth stopped, seeming suddenly at a loss. Had he forgotten the words?

He must have remembered, for the boy began reciting from the book again. _"For my will is as strong as yours-"_ Jareth came down from the last step towards Seth, who stopped and fumbled for his right words.

Jareth turned instead to Sarah and knelt down before her, his back to Seth as he took her hand in his own with tender care. Lifting it, he placed it against the side of his face, and held it where she could read his expression. His other hand rested just past her wrist. "Please understand." He pleaded in a whisper only she could hear. Under her hand, Sarah could feel the raw emotion twisting his face. Similar to the expression of pure agony that he had worn in the garden not long ago. Only this time, his lips were turned in a smile that wavered-he was trying to smile for her, even though it hurt.

Seth remembered part of the words and called out, "-and my kingdom as great!" but Sarah was too busy reading Jareth's face to care now about what the boy was saying.

"Dearest, everything I've done, I've done purely to secure your happiness." He whispered tearfully, and Sarah's heart broke.

Taking a breath, Jareth confessed. "Sarah, I-"

But at that same moment, Seth remembered his right words, and Sarah never heard the rest of what Jareth was about to say. _"-You have no power over me!"_

Sarah felt as though she was being forced to exhale, and when she breathed in again, she was suddenly sitting in a plastic chair in a familiar place filled with the smell of books.

Jareth was gone, her hands resting instead on a chair in front of her, her cane clutched in one hand. She had returned to her hometown's public library.

There were conversations going on all around her, and at first Sarah felt terribly disoriented. What was going on? From a few rows ahead of her she heard one of the school teachers sigh in irritation and complain. "Where is Aaron? Isn't he supposed to be here by now?" Sarah's heart jumped, and another teacher muttered something about traffic being bad. The first teacher offered a sound of dismissal in the form of a scoff. "Or maybe he got a better job offer somewhere else." She paused, and a rustling of her sleeve made Sarah think the woman was waving her hand. "We might as well let the kids check out some books while we're here."

The teenagers took this suggestion to heart and scattered to look for books. The teachers scrambled to issue them rules, following on their heels. Sarah was listening to their chatter, trying to decide what she should do. From her left sounded footsteps as someone approached and tentatively sat beside her.

Before she could utter a word, Seth was apologizing fiercely to her. "I'm so sorry. It was wrong of me to wish you away. Will you forgive me? It's ok if you don't. I'd understand." He finished quietly to her, his voice remorseful.

Sarah smiled lightly at him. "Yes, of course I forgive you." But then she frowned at him. "But promise me you will _never_ do it again. Not to anyone, no matter how angry you get. Because next time you might not be so lucky." Seth promised soberly, and she smiled and gave him a small hug before she sent him on his way. She heard his friends teasing him about the hug, and with a light tone he told them to shut up, unembarrassed by the hug.

When it became apparent to the librarians that Aaron wasn't coming, they began putting the chairs away, and Sarah moved to stand beside a pillar near the library's balcony double doors. She stood in silence, her heart aching when a thought occurred to her. She hesitated, and took a deep breath.

Did she dare do it? Would it even work?

Then under her breath, heart beating in hopeful anticipation, Sarah Williams whispered to herself.

 _"I wish Jareth the Goblin King was here, right now."_

Sarah waited, her heart beating wildly. She listened in silence for something-anything-to indicate Jareth's arrival.

Nothing happened. The chatter of teenagers and adults carried on, uninhibited by her wish. Sarah pressed her lips together thin, and her throat tightened while tears welled up in her closed eyes.

He wasn't coming.

Regret and sadness enveloped Sarah, and she ducked her head to hide her tears from any unwanted eyes. Someone must have opened the doors on the balcony nearby, for a cool breeze swept over her, making her shiver.

'Maybe I should just go home-' Sarah thought, when something caught her attention.

A familiar cologne following the breeze caressed her senses, and her heart thudded faster even as it was being soothed. Out of habit, her fisted hand uncurled.

A silky sleeve brushed her bare arm at her side, and a familiar hand gently took her own.

"I'm here, Sarah. I haven't left you."

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A/N: Thank You to Labyrinthlover30, AliceXxX, for encouragement. Thank you to those who read and especially to those who reviewed. Jinxerbell, LovelyAmberLight, starmommy41, and WildcatsLabyrinth2018 to name a few of those whose reviews and PM's kept me going! Reviews are what let me know you guys like what I've written; so the more reviews, the faster I'll write the next chapter of a story. Thank you again for your support, you are all wonderful! :) Also I may add an epilogue. I'm not entirely sure yet. I wasn't going to initially, but I think it could be good. What do you think?

EDIT: So I've decided to leave it here for this story. This is where it will end. I just love the ending-in fact it was one of the first scenes that I wrote when I began this story. It was so perfect... Anyway; I'm sorry there won't be an Epilogue, but I couldn't seem to make it work. But then... Part of the fun is that YOU get to imagine what comes next. ;) Thank you for reading!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own ideas and daydreams. Now I'm kind of sad the story's over. :'(


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